The Perfect Act
by JustSmile1
Summary: He's her teacher. She's his student. Both of them burn, burn for the one thing they really can't have. Each other.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! I am back with a new Draco/Hermione story. However it will have factors of the two of them with other characters as well, I'm afraid. First of all, this is unbeta'd and will probably continue to be, unless any of you lovely people would like to help me out or know anyone who would be interested, it does however mean there may be some mistakes and if there they are completely my fault.**

**Second of all, this is AU, where there is no magic, unless I miss it too much and find a way to slip it in, hehe. Also, as it's AU some of the character friendships and ages are also not accurate to the book, such as Draco's ages. This is set in a Performing Arts school as well, so some aspects of characters such as shyness will have disappeared simply to make the story work. **

**Finally, some of my ideas for performances are borrowed but I will always have a disclaimer. Such as now, I own nothing of this, just the plot, the characters and places and names are not mine, and sadly never will be. I also make no profit at all from this, just my own sick enjoyment of staying up till ridiculous hours to try and get the storyline out of my head. And now on with the show….**

He's her teacher. She's his student. Yet both of them begin to burn, burn for the one thing, they really can't have. Each other.

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The schools halls and stairs were crowded with students from all over the world, pulling bags and suitcases upstairs to their dormitories, the excited chatter of reunited friends filling the air. Hermione Granger stood at the entrance of the school, one hand lingering on one of the schools heavy metal doors, watching the scene in front of her. The school was a second home to every student who attended it, and the happiness to be back swarmed around everyone, seeming to make everything glow.

Hogwarts School of Performing Arts was considered to be the best school for performing students in the whole world, and Hermione was fiercely proud of her place in the school, and of the education she was receiving. For her, performing was what she adored, it was what she was born to do, and she threw herself into her studies and performances, determined to shine in everything she did.

"Hermione! Hey Hermione!" She turned away from the school and saw her best mate hurrying up the stairs towards her, his black hair as messy as ever, and his baggy clothes hanging off him.

Harry was probably one of the most famous promising actors in the world. His performances had begun since he was literally a baby, and his acting skills were basically unchallenged. Of course there was the ridiculous drama between Harry and another actor, Tom Riddle. But that was a story best left alone. Harry's life was kind of a dramatic soap opera in itself, what with the death of his parents at such a young age, and how any twist or new development in his social life was splashed all over the front pages. A huge grin spread across her face and a strong wave of affection for her friend rushed through her as he opened his arms to embrace her.

"Harry," she laughed into his shoulder as he swung her round. "Merlin I missed you,"

"Me too," he smiled putting her back on her feet, and pushing his glasses up his nose.

"You've grown," she smiled fondly as she stared up at him, his lean figure attracting attention from the younger girls, but Harry as adorably oblivious as ever, ignored them all, picking his bags up from the floor.

"Ron here yet?" he asked as the two of them made their way up to their House Dormitories, people moving out of the way to let two of the schools biggest stars pass.

"No," Hermione answered as they reached the stairs "He sent me a message saying that he's gonna arrive sometime next week, he's still not feeling too great from the food poisoning incident and they've advised him to stay at home for maximum amount of time as possible. Ginny's here though," Hermione added, looking over her shoulder at Harry with a knowing look in her eye.

"Oh right, that's um, good," Harry blushed, avoiding eye contact and Hermione rolled her eyes, a slight smile on her lips.

They reached their House Dormitory and Hermione used her key to unlock the door. The school was split into four Houses to try and help order and arrange the students into their abilities in the performing world. Traditionally the two houses Gryffindor and Slytherin held the performers. The students who could dance or sing or act, the students most comfortable in the spotlight. Whilst the other two, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, housed the students whose talent was behind the scenes, composing, directing, writing, hair and make up, stage lighting and so on. Every now and then there were a few exceptions.

A guy in Hermione's year Neville held a magnificent talent for script writing, his stage shows and films always won the school many awards, yet the Professor who dealt with Sortings, everyone called him Hat, had firmly placed Neville in Gryffindor, the House known for acting and performing after Neville's interview with him. No one had really understood why, until last year when in the middle of one of Neville's show, when the male lead had collapsed before the show, Neville had taken on his part and had one of the most amazing singing voices Hermione had ever heard.

Hermione was extremely happy to have been sorted into Gryffindor. She had been so terrified about her interview with Hat. She needed to prove to him more than anything that she was a performer and she would work so hard to prove herself. But all Hat had wanted to talk to her about was her family, her loyalties, her basic life. At the end of the conversation he had looked at her for a few moments, his gaze so sharp as if he was dissecting her before announcing her as a Gryffindor and handing her House Badge. She looked around the House common room, a surge of contentment filled her heart. She was so glad to be back.

"Harry! Hermione!" Hermione looked over to see a petite red head running towards her, and laughed happily as Ginny hugged her fiercely. Ginny was sister to Hermione's other best friend, Ron, and was quickly becoming a good friend to Hermione as well. Hermione turned and watched as Ginny stepped round her and embraced Harry, somewhat awkwardly, as she stood on tiptoes to try and hook her arms around his neck. Harry's arms tightened around her back and Hermione tactfully turned away as she heard their murmured greetings to one another.

"Good summer Hermione?" Ginny asked a moment later as she came bounding back towards her, pulling her towards one of the sofa's in the common room.

"Yeah it was thanks, I caught your show in Paris. Ginny you were amazing! I wished I could have met up with after it was finished, but mum and dad wanted to travel some more so we had to leave that same night, but congratulations! You were spectacular!" Hermione grinned, watching as Ginny flushed with pleasure.

"Thanks! It was hard, changing from all the different types of dance, and the ballroom worried me slightly, but once I was out there, on that stage it was like everything just disappeared," Ginny replied, rubbing the back of her legs as if they still ached from the incredible show of dance she had put on last summer, in a variety of different countries. "Of course Dean helped so much, as a dance partner I couldn't have done much better,"

Harry coughed gruffly, before gesturing to the boys room, to indicate where he was going and storming off. Ginny stared after him slightly in shock while Hermione sighed at her friend's jealousy.

"Speaking of Dean, how are the two of you?" Hermione asked, drawing Ginny's attention away from Harry and back onto her.

"Well and truly over," she replied, firmly. "It couldn't have worked, a professional and personal relationship. Especially not of the intensity that dancing demands. But since we've ditched the personal and kept the professional, it's turned out pretty good."

"I'm glad," Hermione nodded. The chemistry between Ginny and Dean was unmistakable and on the dance floor the two of the could paint any story of love or lust, with a few twirls and lifts, but off the stage Hermione had always felt something was missing between the two of them, and she was glad Ginny had come to realise this to.

"So, you nervous?" Ginny asked and Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"For?"

"What else," Ginny replied, rolling her eyes "The Final Performance, your last year at this school. The big show that determines whether you're gonna make it in the acting world or not!"

"A little," Hermione admitted, her stomach clenching at the thought of performing in front of 15,000 people. "But more than anything I want to get started,"

Ginny grinned at her and clasped her hand. "You'll do fine Hermione, you're the best actress of this generation. You've got to make it,"

Hermione leaned forward and kissed her friend's cheek. "Thanks Gin, but this actress needs her sleep. Six hours of non stop travel really takes it out of you,"

"Yeah course I'll catch up with you tomorrow," Ginny replied as Hermione stood up and lifted her bags onto her shoulder. "Oh Ronald sends his love by the way," Ginny smiled innocently and Hermione ignored the little flutter in her chest at the mention of her friend's name.

"Oh shush you," she grumbled at the sight of Ginny's face at her reaction to the mention of her brother, she ignored Ginny's parting comments as she made her way up to her room.

"-he's so dreamy, platinum blond hair, and get this Lav, I don't think it's dyed. The most stunning grey eyes-"

Hermione rolled her eyes at Parvati's, one of her roommates, continuous description of some new dreamboat that she'd seen. Lavender, another roommate, was Parvati's best friend, and the pair delighted in gossiping and giggling together. If it weren't for the fact that when they stopped babbling rubbish and sang together in harmony, they actually sounded pretty damn good, Hermione would have been confused as Hell as to why the two girls had been admitted to the school. But she understood they both held talent, and most of the time they were nice to her, sometimes helping her with her hair or make up when a big show was needed and in return Hermione always hinted to them when a new show was coming out and what songs would most impress the Professors. It was a strange friendship the three had, and even though they irritated Hermione to no end, and vice versa, Hermione did appreciate them.

"And I swear Lav, I swear, he smiled at me," Parvati exclaimed as Lavender squealed happily.

Hermione continued to unpack her things and when she was satisfied with how her stuff was arranged she drew the curtain, and slipped into her pyjamas, hoping for an early night. When she was finished changing and pulled the curtain back, Parvati and Lavender acknowledged her happily and then proceeded to unload on her all the gossip they had attained over the summer. Even though she knew most of it to be twisted or untrue, she enjoyed the theatre with which the two girls relayed their information to her, both pausing in the right places or using body language or their eyes to convey messages. Hermione was giggling still over one of Lavender's last tales when Parvati frowned and looked around their room.

"Mione?" Parvati asked, and Hermione clenched her jaw at the nickname, it wasn't her favourite thing to be called.

"Yes?"

"You haven't brought Crookshanks with you this term,"

Hermione gasped and shot out of bed, standing like a lemon in the middle of their room for a minute. Then once the shock had leaked out of her, she jumped into action, pulling on her blue pumps and throwing on a too big jumper over her skimpy night shorts.

"Shit, bugger, bollocks, bum, shit," she chanted as she ran out of the Dormitory and through the school's corridors and stairs, rushing to get down to the Barn where all the students pets were held. In the excitement and reunions she had completely forgotten her cat, Crooks, who would have been unloaded off the train and into the Barn.

She desperately pushed against the schools double doors, growling slightly to find them locked. It was after curfew now, she supposed. She ran into one of the classrooms on the ground floor and grinned at the open window, on the left hand side. She dragged a chair across the floor and quietly pushed the window open all the way, then using her arms, she pulled herself up and swung one of her legs over the side, banging her knee in the process.

"Shit," she moaned as her red right knee dangled down in the night air. She was straddling the window sill, in a very un ladylike way, but she knew how freaked out Crooks could get on his own and hated the thought of him being alone.

Swinging her left leg over, she sat on the window sill and shuffled across to the left where a type of vine covered the entire wall.

"Please God," she murmured placing her foot on one of the plants branches and lifting off from the window. Luckily the plant held her weight, and she carefully made her way down to the floor. When she got to the ground, she realised she probably could of jumped and landed without too much injury but what was done was done and so she took off in direction of the Barn, rubbing her knee as she went.

When she got to the Barn, the light was already on and the Barn was empty. All of the other animals had been picked up, and a huge surge of guilt washed over her.

"Crooks," she whispered "Crooks, come here boy, Crooks! Come here,"

"Uh hum,"

Hermione screamed and jolted around, locking eyes with a tall man with piercing grey blue eyes. He raised one eyebrow at her and Hermione frowned at his look of, almost disgust that was planted on his face. His blonde hair glittered in the moonlight, and his skin was so pale it looked like snow. He was wearing a long sleeved grey top and that was when she noticed the squirming creature in his hands.

"Crooks!" She exclaimed and the cat pounced into her arms, his claws piercing her skin whilst he purred at the same time, letting her know his anger and happiness at seeing her.

Hermione looked up under her eyelashes to see the man looking her up and down, his eyes locked on her now blue from the cold legs and the tangled mess of curls her hair had now become. Using one hand she pushed it away from her face and began to feel uncomfortable under the man's gaze.

"You should look after your pets better," the man said coldly and she snapped her head up to eye him icily.

"Excuse me?" Hermione asked in shock.

"You shouldn't have just left him here, cats don't like to be boxed up and alone," he replied, still stood watching her, his face a mask of boredom. His tone was sharp and cold, as if she was a bit of mud on his shoe. He looked quite old, a little bit too old to be in the school, but Hermione had never seen him before, and so this was her first impression of him. And first impressions were important.

"Thanks so much for the advice," she bit out angrily, marching past him, her arms tightening on Crooks. If there was one thing Hermione despised it was rudeness, even more so when there was no good reason for it.

"You shouldn't be out here anyway, not at this time, go back to bed, or I'll have to report you for breaking curfew," he called after her, his tone mocking and slightly patronising.

Hermione stopped in her tracks. She calmly placed Crooks on the floor who brushed against her leg before she whirled around and stormed back over to the man.

"Look I don't know who in the name of Merlin you think you are, but you have absolutely no right to talk to me like that. I came back for Crooks, because like you so wisely pointed out, no he doesn't like to be on his own. And if you dare report me for breaking curfew I'll do the same to you, because you're stood out here as well. I will not be talked to as if I'm some slow little girl, when I'm not. I hope to never have to talk to you again, goodnight."

And with that she marched out the Barn, refusing to give him a chance to reply. Hermione grumbled and moaned to Crookshanks quietly the entire way back to the window, she pulled herself up the vine with more ease the first time, with Crooks right beside her, leaping from branch to branch. She slipped through the window and dropped to the floor, pushing the chair back into place. Hermione picked Crooks up and held him loosely in her arms as she jogged her way back to the Dormitory, thanking the Gods that she had left the door open on her way out as she had forgotten her key in her hurry to get Crooks back. Placing her cat on the sofa she stumbled up to her room and fell into bed, her eyes shutting as the memory of the blond haired man whizzed through her mind.

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Hermione blinked wearily, and rubbed her eyes free of sleep. She looked around the room and frowned at the sight of the empty dorm room. She turned on her side to look at her clock and almost cried when she saw the time. It was almost eight, breakfast would be finishing and lesson would be starting in fifteen minutes.

"Damn you," she muttered to no one in particular as she ran to the shower, cursing Lavender and Parvati for not waking her up.

Twenty minutes later, Hermione was skidding down the empty corridors, racing towards the Great Hall where they had their meals for the day. She had on a loose blouse which was tucked into her jeans, and her pumps on her feet. Her hair was pushed back in a loose ponytail with stray curls escaping to frame her face.

"Miss Granger,"

Hermione slowed to a stop and turned to see Professor McGonagall, a teacher in charge of Movement, such as characterisation in acting, or overseeing ballet performances as well as the deputy to the school, watching her blankly.

"You're late," she commented and Hermione rushed towards her.

"I know I'm so sorry, I overslept, it must have just been the travel it got to me, and none of my roommates woke me up," Hermione trailed off, and McGonagall handed her a sheet.

"Your timetable. Do try to be more punctual next time Miss Granger, this is unlike you," McGonagall said, turning and walking back into the Great Hall.

"More punctual," Hermione muttered to herself as she turned the timetable over, looking for her first lesson, which she would undoubtedly be late to.

First Period- Dramatic Performance, D. Malfoy. Third Floor.

D Malfoy? Must be the new drama teacher, Hermione thought as she raced up the stairs. "He better be good," she breathed to herself, he was in charge of supporting her during her Final Performance preparation.

She jogged down the Third Floor, a little out of breath from the stairs and practically fell into her classroom as she tripped over a little uneven ledge outside the door. She felt as fifteen pairs of eyes turned to stare at her and a blush stained her cheeks, her eyes found Harry first who was staring at her with a look of sympathy mixed with bewilderment. She shook her head slightly at him, resisting the urge to roll her eyes at herself.

She shut the door behind her, before turning to look at her new teacher, praying for them to be understanding, and her jaw dropped as she saw the man from the night before watching her coolly, one eyebrow arched.

"Well well well," he said silkily and Hermione dropped back against the door she had just shut.

Great.

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Draco watched with annoyance as the late student of his stumbled into the room, interrupting the introduction he had been giving. His eyes widened as he recognised the mass of curls from the night before. His heart gave a sigh of annoyance as the girl, shook her head slightly at one of the boys in his class before closing the door.

She turned to face him and he watched with amusement as her jaw dropped in surprise and her eyes lighted with obvious dislike. He didn't know what had caused him to be so unnecessarily rude with the girl last night, the way her jaw had clenched and her eyes had burned as he had taunted her was merely too much fun for him to miss. He should have anticipated that she might be in one of his classes, but he had been so caught up in the heat of the moment, that all logic and reasoning slipped his mind. He couldn't allow that to happen again.

Meanwhile the girl, he glanced down at his sheet of names, Hermione Granger it read under her picture, stood frozen at the back of the classroom.

"Are you going to stand there all day Granger, or would you like to join your classmates?" He asked, a slight smirk on his face and he watched as she narrowed her eyes at him and clenched her fists.

She moved and sat down next to the black haired boy, Potter, the Golden Boy, who bumped his shoulder against hers and smiled reassuringly.

"As I was saying, before Granger here practically basically flew into our classroom," a few students on the left hand side of the classroom, the ones with the green badges snickered, whilst those on the right remained deathly silent. Interesting. "You're final performance will be in two months. You are the select students who have been chosen to perform in the Number 1 performance. That means you are the best, the rest of the students are in Number 2 Performance. This means that the performance you give has to reflect that, you have to give a hundred percent from now on, until that performance. I will not allow slacking. I am to be your Head during that time, I will direct and produce and help in any way I can with the performance. You have questions you come to me, you're having difficulty you come to me. This is my only class from now on until your performance, so all my energy and time is dedicated to you when and if you need it,"

He glanced around the students to see them all watching him with a slight curiosity and excitement, he tried to ignore the lustful gaze being sent his way by more than one young lady in the room. He looked down at Granger to find her staring at him blankly, looking bored. It riled him.

Pushing those feelings away he continued on "Over the next few days you will be judged, by myself and an out of school judge who I will bring in to help me decide the parts you will play for the Final Performance. Consider these days as your audition, Day 1 will singing, Day 2 will dancing and Day 3 will be acting. I would like you now to get into pairs, one boy and one girl." He snapped his fingers and watched as the students milled out amongst themselves. He assumed Granger would pair up with Potter but watched as she spoke softly to him, the both of them nodding before she moved past him to stand in front of a handsome arrogant looking young boy who was leaning against the classroom wall. As she walked up to him Draco watched as the young man lifted her up into a tight embrace.

He moved slightly to his right to hear their conversation.

"Oh get off me Blaise," Granger huffed affectionately as she looked up at dark skinned boy who grinned down at her.

"Knew you wouldn't be able to stay away," he smirked at her and Granger smacked his chest, rolling her eyes.

"Shut up Blaise. You know as well as I do that we, for some unknown reason, work extremely well together and our best shot at this will be to work together," Granger replied factually, tucking a curl behind her ear and Draco's stomach lurched at the sight.

"Plus you adore me," Blaise added and Granger, opened her mouth to reply, before smacking it shut and shaking her head, a slight twitch on her lips.

He had assumed most people would pair off with others that wore the same coloured badge as them, but the students moved through the room to find their potential partners with ease, each student looking as if they knew exactly who it was they wanted to go with.

"Right you lot! Once you've found partners come up to see me and I'll tell you what your topic is, you will have exactly a week to rehearse for all three performances, based on the topic I have given you." Draco shouted over the chatter.

He moved to sit behind his desk and began to fill in the names of the pairs and draw from a hat the topic each pair would use for their audition.

"I'm Harry Potter," the black haired boy informed Draco as he and his partner approached the desk.

"Potter? Oh yes I remember now, The Golden Boy. I saw your most recent work, the Gothic Horror film? That was good, of course everything you're in is considered to basically have been performed by God himself," Draco replied, impressed by the boy's work.

"Ah thanks, yeah I was really happy with that work. Albus did a great job," he replied humbly and Draco held back a frown. Modesty was a trait that annoyed him enormously.

"Prophet said you were a better actor than that Riddle. Wasn't too happy about it was he?"

"Um no, no he wasn't," Potter replied, obviously uncomfortable with the topic.

"Stupid stage name, Voldemort," Draco said thoughtfully, as Potter shifted from foot to foot. "Anyway, you're Potter and you are…" He asked looking at the blonde girl who seemed to be swaying gently next to him.

"Luna," she replied softly without looking at him "Luna Lovegood,"

What a surprise. The daughter of eccentric stage performer Xenophilius Lovegood, and judging by her attire and mannerisms, his daughter was of the same quirky nature.

"Your topic is…" he pulled the strip of paper from the hat and read it out to them "Fear. There's more instructions on the paper," he informed them handing Potter the paper, watching in amusement as Harry pulled the swaying Luna away from the desk.

About ten minutes later there was only one couple left, and Draco watched as Granger approached with Blaise at her side.

"How pleasant to see you again Granger," Draco taunted, his insides swirling with confusion at his need to provoke her again. He was here as her teacher for Christ sakes, he needed to pull himself together. But the honey brown eyes stared at him with such an intensity that he couldn't help smirking at her, watching with the same sick feeling in his stomach as she pushed stray curls behind her ears.

"Oh I assure you the feelings mutual," she spat out at him, causing Blaise to raise an eyebrow at her tone.

"Name?" Draco asked looking up at Hermione and smiling innocently as she frowned at him.

"You know my name," she stated, staring balefully at him.

"Sorry, it's slipped my mind,"

"Like fu-"

"Hermione, Hermione Granger," Blaise interrupted smoothly, "And I'm Blaise Zabini,"

Draco continued to look at her, with a 'all-you-needed-to-say' look on his face. He picked out a slip of paper and read it out to them.

"Family," he replied, and thrust the paper into Blaise's hand.

"Ah damn baby, I was hoping for Lust," Blaise commented idly making Granger tear her eyes away from Draco and stare up at Blaise with a sort of amused disbelief.

"You know sometimes Blaise, I really worry for you," she grinned, huffing out a laugh and Blaise smiled down at her.

"See my beauty? I knew you cared,"

"Don't start Blaise,"

"I wasn't starting, merely stating the obvious,"

"Oh yes of course, how stupid of me,"

Draco rolled his eyes at their affectionate bickering and slammed his hands down on the desk. "You two, clear off now."

He watched the two of them go, and dropped his head down on his desk. He didn't know what was causing his extreme reaction to Hermione Granger, but he needed to snap out of it. Quickly.

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"How is it that he even has a job here?" Hermione asked, looking around the dinner table.

"Apparently he's one of the most talented directors around, plus his acting skills are considered to be amazing," Neville replied, stabbing a pea with his fork.

"You a fan Nev?" Seamus, one of the dancers, asked in amusement.

"No," Neville replied "I just read the paper,"

"He's an arrogant arsehole," Hermione declared, flicking through her notebook, pages of ideas for her and Blaise's performance whizzing past her eyes.

"Agreed," Neville responded, while the rest of the table nodded at Hermione's comment.

"He's seems to get on brilliantly well with the Slytherins, apparently he ate lunch at their table, instead of up there with the other professors," Harry said, pointing his knife up to the direction of the teachers table.

"He's a snake like the rest of them," Seamus added, his feet slowly going over tap steps, under the table.

"We need to watch him," Harry said "We all need to help each other, try to come to us for advice instead of him. Just until we figure him out,"

"That's a good idea Harry, just stick together," Hermione replied, shoving her notebook back into her bag.

"So how come you two aren't going together?" Neville asked, looking between Harry and Hermione.

"Since we did that Interhouse performance with McGonagall last year, we both found partners who we have better chemistry and work ethics with. It's just easier and more practical to go with them," Hermione answered, shrugging her shoulders.

"Even if it is Zabini," Harry snarled into his plate of food and Hermione smiled softly.

"He's a good guy Harry," Hermione replied gently.

"Yeah, I'll believe that when I see it," Harry frowned.

"Granger!"

Hermione turned around in her seat to see Blaise stood up from his seat at the Slytherins table and watching her, a smirk on his face.

"Time to go to work my beauty,"

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"How dare you!"

The door opened with a bang and Draco looked up to see Granger storm towards him, her eyes blazing and her hair flying about the place. He watched with quiet amusement as the actress stopped in front of his desk, obviously fuming.

"Can I help you?"

"Oh don't give me that. I want to know what you think gives you the right to decide who should be in this school and who shouldn't?"

"I honestly have no idea what you're talking about," Draco replied lazily, sitting back in his chair "Care to elaborate?"

"What you said to Colin Creevy this afternoon was totally out of line."

"And you don't think you're out of line? Barging in here and talking to a professor like this?"

"You're not a Professor. In fact you're as far from Professional as you can get, telling that poor boy that everyone who was not chosen specifically by Hogwarts has no right to be here?"

"It's my opinion,"Draco answered standing up and walking round to the front of his desk. "I'm allowed one, and you should think very carefully about how you talk to me Granger. A little bit of respect is needed."

"I have no respect for you, that child is crying in my common room and I will not stand by and watch you torment him with your prejudice."

"My prejudice happens to be correct. Every child who has had to apply here with an interview or try and win a scholarship always perform with less skill, less talent, than those Hogwarts ask to come here personally,"

"I applied. I asked, I wasn't chosen and yet I'm considered just as good as the others,"

"I'll believe that when I see it."

Hermione stared at him angrily, not noticing until now how close they had gotten to each other. She took a step away from his glare and eyed him suspiciously.

"How did you get a job here?"She asked with contempt laced in every inch of her voice.

"I was asked." Draco grinned at her, leaning back against his table. " Funny that. Hogwarts always ask the best."

"You're too arrogant to want to teach,"

"You think you know me Granger-"

"Miss Granger,"

"I'm sorry?"

"You don't call anyone else by just their last name."

"No? Well you must just be special then. It's time you ran along Granger,"

Hermione rolled her eyes at his antics and turned to move towards the door, unable to stay in the room with the git any longer. Just before she reached the handle she turned around.

"You ever make any of my friends cry again, and you'll have me to answer to,"

"Oh I look forward to it immensely," Draco smiled falsely as she slammed the door behind her.

It was gonna be a long term.

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**Please let me know what you think, even if you review to say you hate it. I honestly don't know whether to continue, I have the ideas but not completely confident as to whether or not it would work, and I base that on reviews really. So thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Why hello there, thank you so much for the support shown for the first chapter, it was much appreciated, I would be very grateful if you would read this before reading the secnd chapter so it makes sense to you all. **

**For the auditions, I used outside influences to decide what the students were going to perform. So, when reading about Goyle and Cho's singing audition, I watched Jonathan Antoine and Charlotte Jaconelli performance of The Prayer, for Hermione and Blaise's singing audition, the performance of the song on Glee, yes I do watch Glee sometimes- please don't bully me, gave me the inspiration so I would watch that if you can, and I really really really advise you to watch Melissa and Ade's performance of This Woman's Work, on So you think you can dance, for Hermione and Blaise's dance audition. Melissa and Ade give a performance that is incredibly heartbreaking. Obviously these are just suggestions, so do not feel like you have to watch them, all of the above can be found on Youtube. **

**Disclaimer- I own nothing, not the characters, just the storyline, and the parts that have been inspired by the shows I watch, are not mine either. I get nothing from this, except a strange enjoyment. **

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During the next week, Hermione deliberately kept her distance from the Third Floor and when she had lessons within Malfoy's room, she would pull Blaise to the back of the room away from Malfoy's desk. Unlike the others, the pair of them did not ask Malfoy for any guidance or help with their performance. Her spat with Malfoy made the small blaze of dislike she held for him before bloom into a full blown fire, and she knew she was being foolish, allowing her feelings to get in the way of her education. As their Head, he could help her and Blaise a lot with their auditions, but she didn't think she could stand to even look at the blonde professor, and since Blaise was accepting of her refusal to accept their teachers help, she didn't see any reason to fully question her actions. Blaise's gentle teasing had faded away as the pair of them became locked in their own world of acting, singing and dancing.

There was only one time Malfoy did offer his help, and as much as Hermione hated it, his expertise was needed and albeit grudgingly, gratefully accepted.

"I can't do it," Hermione whispered, digging her nails into her palms. "You'll drop me." The lift that Blaise wanted to try was similar to that in Dirty Dancing, with Hermione being hoisted over Blaise's head and then held there. Hermione's trust not in Blaise, but in herself was very small. The lift was the ending to their dancing audition, but she couldn't help but feel incredibly sick every time Blaise took hold of her waist to hoist her up.

"I won't drop you Hermione, I promise." Blaise said sincerely reaching his arms out to her and Hermione stepped into them, letting her partner comfort her.

"I can't I'm sorry, we need a new ending." Hermione murmured against his skin, pulling away and staring up into Blaise's dark eyes, who watched her worryingly. They needed to finish the dance and changing their planned ending would take a lot of time.

"Try this."

Hermione watched as Draco walked towards the pair of them, indicating to Blaise to let go of his hold of Hermione. She stared in shock as Malfoy ignored her gaze and instead used his authority as a Professor to silence the unspoken refusal for his help.

"Go from here,"

He pushed the two of them into place, and waited whilst the two of them stared at him in confusion and on Hermione's part, anger.

"Well go on then," Malfoy said snidely, gesturing to the two of them who turned towards each other danced the routine up to what they had, Malfoy steadfastly ignoring Hermione's glare the entire time.

"Stop," Draco barked, walking forward. He had stopped the performance just before the run Hermione would do towards Blaise for him to hoist her up into the air. He pulled the two students into the places he wanted them.

"Now Blaise duck down, and you Granger, lift your leg around here." He guided them through, until Hermione's legs were straddled over Blaise's right shoulder, and Blaise gently lifted her up, catching her every time she wobbled and fell off. They spent ten minutes doing this same movement over and over, until Hermione finally had enough and lifted her hands up in defeat.

"It was a good idea," Hermione admitted grudgingly, "But I can't stay upright. Balance isn't my strong point."

"Do it again," Draco commanded and Hermione looked at him, her anger blazing up inside her. It was ridiculous that he was able to invoke such strong emotional reactions from her, with hardly any provocation.

"It won't work Malfoy,"

"That's Professor Malfoy to you. Now try it again,"

Hermione, glaring the entire time, commanded her body into position and spun her left leg around so that Blaise could duck underneath and lift her up whilst she was straddling his shoulder.

As Blaise lifted up, Draco grabbed onto Hermione's hand and held it up for her. Hermione stared at their interlocked hands and squeezed Draco's fingers tightly as she felt herself begin to wobble.

"Hold it there Blaise,"

Blaise stood deathly still while Hermione struggled with her posture to stay upright on Blaise's shoulder. After a lot of practise and extreme glaring at Draco's hands as he supported her, the lift went down well, and Blaise and Hermione had it perfected.

"Thank you sir," Blaise said nodding his head in gratification, Draco nodded in reply his eyes flickering to Hermione before he quickly walked off without another word, leaving Hermione to stare at her tingly hand.

Soon enough the auditions rolled around and Hermione wrung her hands together pacing outside the Great Hall where the couples were performing for Malfoy and whichever judge he had bought in to help him.

"Hermione baby, I'm heading outside to wait with the others. I'll get nervous if I stay here," Blaise whispered to her and Hermione nodded vaguely, continuing her pacing outside the door.

"Don't worry, you'll do great Hermione," Harry smiled, patting her shoulder as he walked past Blaise to stand next to her and Hermione smiled weakly back.

"Thanks Harry, you too," she replied, wincing at how breathless and nervous she sounded. The two of them turned to watch as Gregory Goyle and Cho Chang walked past them and stopped dead outside the Great Hall doors.

"I can't," Goyle whispered, his chest rising and falling with nerves. Cho placed one hand on his arm, smiling gently up at him, her silky black hair falling down her back.

"You can. Here with you, every step of the way," she replied and Hermione watched in interest as Goyle smiled down at her, putting his arm around her waist in comfort.

Cho twisted to look at the pair and smiled awkwardly when she met Harry's eyes.

"Hi Harry," she murmured.

"Hi Cho," he replied and Hermione pressed her lips together to stop a laugh bursting from her lips. The awkward teenage romance of Harry and Cho had lasted a total of one week, and only now, practically a year later, could the two of them look at each other without blushing fiercely.

Goyle held the door open for Cho and gently lead her in, his hand on the small of her back.

"It's like beauty and the beast isn't it,"

Hermione turned around and gasped happily, a large smile blooming across her face as she recognised the owner of the voice.

"Ron!" she squealed and threw herself into his arms, closing her eyes as he held her tight.

"Shh," he reminded her as he and Harry hugged in a manly way.

"We weren't expecting you," Hermione whispered, still clutching on to Ron's arm. He was here, and like Harry he had grown. His hair was cut short again and his frame was slightly bulkier than she remembered. He smiled down at her, and she felt the little butterflies in her stomach whizz around excitedly. She felt happiness bloom inside her, she was in the place she loved most, with her two best friends, and for one short moment, the auditions were forgotten.

"I got bored at home. I'll have to audition separately but I can still watch the two of you perform. Speaking of which, what is this I hear about you going with Zabini?" Ron frowned looking down at her and Hermione dropped his arm, rolling her eyes at Ron's confused expression.

"Oh don't you start," she muttered, walking towards the Great Hall door, thinking back to the way Goyle had looked down at Cho. "I want to see this,"

She slipped inside and stood in the shadows, grinning as her two friends came to stand next to her. The Hall had been transformed into a performing area, with the benches pushed to the side, and a large empty space that was the only area of the Hall properly lighted, leaving everything else drowned in darkness.

"When you're ready," Hermione heard Malfoy say, and her lip curled in dislike at the mere sound of his voice.

Hat, the Sorting teacher, pressed play for the music and settled down in his chair watching in interest.

Hermione watched as Goyle began to sing a few, before realising he was too early and looking to Cho for guidance. She smiled gently at him, and nodded for them both to begin.

And whatever Hermione had been expecting it was not that.

Goyle and Cho's voices rang clearly through the air, the operatic nature of the voices creating a stunningly beautiful melody. Hermione watched as Goyle changed from an awkward, heavy looking boy to someone who was clearly lost in their own world, commanding his voice to harmonise and power through the room.

Hermione smiled as Cho's eyes flickered back to Goyle a proud grin on her face as she carefully set the pace, her voice lilting through and complimenting Goyle's in the perfect way. Whereas Goyle's voice, was in a league of its own, Cho was the backbone, she was the skeleton for him, she kept him together. He wouldn't be stood there without her. And it was heartbreakingly beautiful. There was more to that pair than people realised, and Goyle's devotion to Cho was clear from the way his eyes flickered shut in contentment when she sang separately from him, her voice singing tinkling through the air.

Hermione, Ron and Harry slipped out of the door as the performance came to an end and stood in awe of what they had just seen and heard.

"She is his strength," Hermione murmured and the other two nodded in agreement as they made their way out of the front doors, Ron still shaking his head in disbelief.

The day passed slowly with couples disappearing in to perform, Hermione and Blaise were last with Harry and Luna performing just before them. Hermione was waiting to be called, her nerves bubbling throughout her body, and she tapped her foot impatiently as Blaise stood pacing. Ron had gone in with Harry to watch at the back of the hall and had decided to stay there to wait and watch Hermione's.

"Hermione Granger and Blaise Zabini," Hat called through and Blaise walked over to Hermione and pulled her off the step she had been sitting on.

"Time to go my beauty."

The two of them made their way forward and Hermione strode through the doors purposefully, onto the staging area, turning and staring at the black silhouette of Draco, feeling as Blaise stood beside her, his shoulder brushing hers in companionship. She could barely see anything, the Hall was completely black aside from the stage she was stood on, and she felt uneasy staring vulnerably into the darkness.

"This is Ollivander, he's the judge that'll be helping me." Malfoy said, ruining the silence.

Hermione stared in shock at the darkened figure of the one of the most famous casting directors of all time. How Malfoy had managed to persuade him to come and help, Hermione had no idea. She turned to Blaise to see him wide eyed in disbelief. It was an honour to have him here but if anything, it fuelled Hermione's nerves even more.

"You're topic was what again?" Draco asked out of the darkness and Hermione licked her lips, shaking her head slightly to bring herself back to the moment.

"Urm, Family." She replied shakily, glancing up at Blaise who was looking directly ahead of him.

"And the song you will perform for us today?" Draco replied, jotting answers down on his sheet.

"It's modern. Somebody I used to know, by Gotye,"

"That is considered to be a love song, is it not?" Ollivander asked quietly and Hermione nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes, yes technically it is. But we wanted to put a spin on it. And so to give you like a back story, we were wondering if we could do a tiny bit of performing in front of it. Just so it makes sense to you? "

"Ollivander?" Draco asked turning to the second judge

"Seems fine by me, just do not expect that to come as part of your acting mark,"

Both Blaise and Hermione shook their head, before turning to each other. Hermione blinked slowly and that was their cue to start performing. Slowly, she shifted, her stance changing. She was not Hermione anymore, she was in character. And right now, Blaise was the only person in the world.

"So you're back?" Hermione asked, her voice shaking slightly, as she stared at Blaise in undisguised disgust.

"I'm back." Blaise replied quietly and Hermione snorted in disbelief turning away from him.

"So what? Mum died and you pissed off and now you're back? For what? Money? Cos if you think for one moment, I will give you anything you can turn around and walk away right now," Hermione spat out, her back to Blaise.

"Oh my God." Blaise cried out angrily walking out into the audience, past Draco and Ollivander. "That's not why I'm here Hermione, Christ, I'm not the selfish prick you're trying to make me out to be,"

"You cut me out Blaise. You refused me calls and you didn't once try to help me with dad. I was on my own, you are no brother of mine." Hermione replied blankly, her voice monotone

She turned and nodded to Hat who started the music.

Looking out towards where she assumed Blaise to be in the darkness she started to sing. Her voice wasn't bad, not brilliant but nothing disastrous, she could work with it.

"_Now and then I think of when we were together,_"

"_Like when you said you felt so happy you could die,_"

She held out her arms to Blaise who stepped forward into the light and continued on with the song, his voice replacing hers.

"_So when we found that we could not make sense,_"

"_Well you said that we will would still be friends,_"

"_But I'll admit that I was glad that it was over,_"

Hermione gritted her jaw angrily, her character taking over completely as she stared at Blaise in anger for leaving her, and her family. For not being the brother she had needed him to be. She opened her mouth and replied to him as the music swelled to its peak.

"_But you didn't have to cut me off_!"

"_Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing,_"

"_And I don't even need your love_," Hermione sang angrily, lifting out her hands as Blaise stared at his little sister in sad surprise.

"_But you treat me like a stranger and I feel so rough,_"

"_No you didn't have to stoop so low,_"

"_Have your friends collect your records and then change your number,_"

"_Guess that I don't need that though, now you're just somebody that you used to know_!"

The music lulled between them as Blaise came to stand at the other side of the stage as Hermione looked out at the audience angrily.

Hermione turned her head and looked at Blaise quietly before singing more softly, continuing the story with her words.

"_Now and then I think of all the times you screwed me over,_"

"_But had me believing it was always something that I'd done,_"

She turned to face Blaise directly, audience forgotten, just her screaming out her feelings at being abandoned by the one person who meant the world to her.

"_But I don't wanna live that way,_"

"_Reading into every word you say,_"

She watched as Blaise walked towards her and her singing got louder as he approached.

"_You said that you could let it go and I wouldn't catch you hung up on somebody that you used to know!" _

Blaise sang the chorus again, his pain becoming evident as the two of them squared of off, Hermione echoing certain lines until the end of the song when she walked right up to him and stared him off as they both sang the last line.

"_Now you're just somebody that I used to know._"

Hermione looked up at Blaise breathing heavily, her nostrils flared as he stared down at her in regret and sadness.

For a moment the Hall was completely silent as they both took time to get out of character and stared at each other in complete awe. They had both got so lost in their performance, almost truly believing it to be real. They had done the best they could.

They both nodded towards where Draco and Ollivander where sat, then grabbed hold of each others hands and walked silently out of the Hall.

XXXXXXXXX

"That was good." Ollivander said simply and Draco nodded. It was the nicest thing Ollivander had said all day, save for Goyle's performance.

His memory played it for him again, the way Granger had lost herself completely, the part of abandoned sister shone through so obviously, her anger and hurt directed at Blaise so clear. Her voice danced through his head, how angry and beautiful she had made the song during the second verse.

He shook his head and looked at the old wizard.

"Day 2 tomorrow," he murmured and stood up, his legs stretching from having sat down all day.

"I don't often say this, but those kids did you proud today. Be sad, it won't make this easy."

Draco smirked and looked back at the stage, the days auditions flickering through his head.

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Draco shifted in his seat and yawned, clicking his fingers to relieve the ache they had from scribbling down various notes after he watched performance after performance of his student's work. Goyle had once again surprised him with the Waltz he had performed with Cho, holding her to him with such tender, gentle hands that even Ollivander had softened slightly at the care Goyle had shown as he had spun Cho round, and the trust the young girl so obviously had, a relaxed smile on her face as she glided around the floor.

Luna and Potter had almost been disastrous, Luna obviously adding her own quirky aspects to the quickstep the two of them had performed whilst Potter stared down at the floor, desperate to not fall over his own feet.

And now the audition that he had been waiting for and dreading at the same time was about to commence. He stiffened his back as Granger walked to the stage followed by Blaise. Ollivander squinted at the pair of them, the clogs in his head whirring with interest at the sight of their costumes.

Hermione was wearing a silk vest, that split open to reveal her stomach, a sight that Draco was pointedly ignoring, and a pair of short white shorts. But the most interesting and illuminating piece of clothing, was the bandana on her head, that held away any sight of the curly mess she called hair. Hermione glanced nervously at Blaise who was wearing an unbuttoned white top, contrasting with his dark skin, and white trousers.

"Would you like time before you perform, to illuminate us with the story?" Ollivander asked, his tone amused and slightly mocking. Granger breathed deeply before nodding.

"Of course you may," Ollivander replied gesturing for them to begin.

Blaise took a deep breath before turning and walking away from Granger mumbling as he went. "No, no, no, that's impossible. That is a sick joke Hermione, no no. That's not… No."

"Blaise!" Hermione screamed suddenly, interrupting his mutterings, her voice slicing through the room and bringing with it a huge amount of tension.

"I have cancer. I'm not lying."

"No…"Blaise trailed off, glancing at Hat who cued the music.

And then Draco watched in silence.

Because it was without a doubt one of the most heartbreaking dances he had ever seen. It was Hermione broken down with pain and anger, her steps sharp and precise, but yet somehow so fragile. It was Blaise having to be her keeper, catching her every time she collapsed, holding Hermione to him, yet knowing that his little sister was going to die.

Draco watched as Hermione flew towards Blaise, banging against his chest in anger at her disease, Blaise stood still and silent as Hermione hit him over and over, desperately begging for another way out. Then catching her, when she needed him to hold her up.

Blaise stopped being Blaise, he was instead the strong rock during the storm, the brother determined to never let his sister fall. Granger flew and jumped into his arms, showing no hesitation holding complete trust that he would catch her, the trust between the pair was so powerfully beautiful that Draco had to look away for one moment, for his composure.

He watched as they performed the lift he had shown them perfectly, Hermione keeping her back arched and straight as Blaise walked away carrying her tall and strong. Being the brother she needed him to be.

Their moves were precise and well rehearsed and so full of emotion that Draco's cold heart felt swollen from it all.

As Blaise helped Granger down, Draco watched as she wiped away the tears that had fallen during her performance. Blaise held her to him for one moment, like in their performance giving her his strength before the pair of them walked down the stairs, Hermione looking back and locking eyes with Draco for just one moment, before the door shut behind them.

"That has to be shown," Ollivander spoke after a long silent pause. "I don't care when and I don't care how, but that has to be shown. What we just witnessed was a performance of stupendous power."

"I won't put them through extra work or stress. The Final Performance means the world to them, after this performance is done, then you can pester them all you like but not before. That was their audition and we need to judge them on it." Draco replied instantly, frowning inwardly at the way he had jumped to protect the two students instead of just letting them deal with the hard work that performing was always going to be.

"It was marvellous. One of the most honest performances I've ever seen."

Draco thought back to the way Granger had clutched her stomach and held her hand out into the audience turning away with a pained expression, as if she was saying, enough now. Enough pain.

"Yes, it was." Draco agreed.

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The school was alive with talk about Blaise and Hermione's performance, and as the pair in question walked through the halls, Blaise soaked up the attention, smiling at the girls and nodding at the guys, whilst Hermione kept her head ducked down and refused to answer any questions about it from anyone who wasn't one of her close friends.

It hadn't helped that two hours after their dance audition, their performance had been shown in every common room and on the big screen in the dining hall during dinner, leaving Hermione to blush furiously and glare with every bit of energy she had at Draco, who stared blankly back at her, a look in his eyes that she couldn't quite place.

She walked outside after breakfast, she had a free period and no work at all to be getting on with, so she decided to go for a walk down to the lake that shimmered next to the school, the sunlight hitting the waters. It was rumoured that a great beast lived inside its water, which put people off of swimming too far out during summer time, but that didn't stop Hermione from slipping off her shoes and socks, letting her toes wiggle in the grass. Harry and Ron were off somewhere, Harry helping Ron prepare for his audition, Hermione would have offered to help but Ron was acting annoyed around her and she couldn't deal with his dramatics. She glanced up at the bright sky and smiled softly at the sight of the moon, sitting calmly in the sky, even though it was not meant to be there. The moon smiled down and she smiled back.

"And it's you are whatever a moon had always meant," she murmured tilting her head up to the sky and the moon.

"And whatever a sun will always sing is you,"

Hermione turned around in surprise and saw Malfoy stood behind her as he looked up at the sky, his hands in his pockets and the deep blue shirt he was wearing made him look almost angelic. Hermione scowled at her thinking.

"Malfoy?"

He cocked an eyebrow at her use of his name, her blatant disregard of the rules. "You know Granger, most teachers tell me that you are the biggest stickler for rules, and here you are, not referring to me in the proper manner,"

Hermione blinked up at him and shrugged. "You use my last name, why can't I use yours?"

"That's not how it works,"

"Well, that's foolish. You show me no respect so why should I show you any?"

"Oh God, you're one of those 'respect is a two way street' people," Draco drawled, boredom seeping through into his tone and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"If you're just going to be rude, I think you should go,"

"When are you going to get it Granger?" Draco asked sharply, looking down at her angrily. "You don't get to talk to me that way,"

"So report me," she challenged, surprising herself with her bluntness, her rudeness, just her entire manner when Malfoy was around. What the Hell was he doing to her?

"And miss your witty comebacks? How would I survive?" He replied mockingly and Hermione rolled her eyes and turned around back to the water, dipping her bare feet into the cold water, and ignoring Malfoy entirely.

"Bugger off Malfoy," she said quietly, not really caring if he heard or not.

She heard his laugh, and cursed her stomach for flipping over at the noise. "Better watch yourself Granger, remember who's in the position of authority here,"

"Yeah, God knows how that happened," she muttered, swirling her feet around in the water and she practically heard Malfoy scoff.

"I'm the best,"

She turned around to see him walk away back up to the castle and huge amounts of relief at the distance from him seeped through her body.

"By the way Granger," he shouted back and she turned her head to look at him as he continued to walk backwards, his gaze locked so firmly on hers that she forgot how to breathe.

"Good performance yesterday," he called out, turning away and continuing to walk casually back up to the castle.

Hermione looked at the water in shock for a few moments, then without trying to stop it at all, allowed a huge grin to split across her face.

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Good performance yesterday? What the hell was that?

Draco rubbed a hand across his face as he walked up the stairs to make his way back to the Great Hall to prepare for the next round of auditions. One, he had quoted i carry your heart with her, possibly one of the most romantic poems written. Two he had actually stopped and had a conversation with her, and three he had actually stopped what he was doing and had a complete conversation with a student! Not just any student, _her_! He had bantered and she had matched him, he had watched the wind blow the curls away from her face and noticed how brown and deep her eyes were and then to top it all off, he had paid her a compliment, not a snarky back handed compliment, an actual genuine compliment!

What the hell was happening?

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Ron sat moodily outside with the pairs waiting for their final audition, his thoughts flickering back to the performance he had seen. There was no doubt that Hermione and Blaise had great chemistry and trust, with the way she had happily jumped into his arms, no look of doubt or fear, just the emotions she was portraying as that character. And normally that would bother him, ever since the Interhouse competition when Blaise and Hermione had been put together their relationship had irritated him. What with Blaise being, handsome, intelligent, Italian, arrogant, and able to draw brilliant acting and emotions out of Hermione almost effortlessly, Ron found himself pretty much despising the dark skinned boy. But it was not that actual performance this time round that had got on his nerves.

What bothered him was the way Hermione's eyes had hardly ever left the teachers table, flickering back there every once in a while to look at their blonde haired teacher, whilst she answered the bombarding questions she had received about her dance with Blaise. She had been so riled up that Professor Malfoy had shown their audition without asking her and Blaise first, and Ron had only seen her so upset about something one other time. When she had caught him kissing Lavender Brown last year. It didn't make any sense, since Ron had returned Hermione and Malfoy hadn't spoken or even looked at each other hardly at all, but every time they did it was like they had a long and painful history between the pair of them, and Ron didn't like it at all. Especially not the way, Hermione had barely stopped talking about him for the entire night.

But what confused and angered him even more, was the fact that Malfoy's gaze hardly ever strayed from Hermione either.

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Pansy watched with a huge amount of dislike as Blaise effortlessly made Granger giggle and smile as the pair waited outside the school to be called in for their acting audition. The whole school was ablaze with Team Blaise and Hermione, and in all honesty it made her sick. Hermione Granger, Golden Girl. Greatest Actress of her generation. But most importantly of all, man stealer.

Blaise had been hers. Her partner, her almost boyfriend, hers. And then with the Interhouse Performance and Granger and Blaise had just hit it off, with Blaise turning into a disgusting drooling puppy, who fawned over every word Granger said. And what angered Pansy more was that she couldn't know if it was genuine or just Blaise being Blaise, he performed his devotion to her stealthily, never revealing just how enamoured with Granger he actually was, leaving everyone questioning always the relationship between him and Granger. Her eyes flickered to the Weasel who was sat on the steps, watching the pair with a confused and thoughtful expression on his face. She rolled her eyes, a weasel being thoughtful? How wrong.

She turned and looked at her reflection in the compact mirror she was holding up, she scrunched up her hair and pouted her lips. You win some, you lose some. And in losing Blaise, she had a gained a very very attractive new teacher, with sparkling grey eyes. Pansy knew that she had finally grown into her looks, and with her natural charm she would have this new teacher, she was completely sure of it. Draco Malfoy wouldn't stand a chance. She snapped her compact shut and looked up at the school.

"Prepare yourself Hogwarts," she murmured, "For the greatest most forbidden romance story is about to be written,"

Pansy smiled happily and took a deep breath, for if she couldn't have Blaise then she would definitely have Draco. End of.

XXXXXXXXX

Luna could feel something in the air, she wasn't sure what it was but it was almost suffocating. She looked around at the group of people she was sat with and shook her head, smiling softly at their ignorance to the new aura of emotion that had entered their little group. She looked down from her step and saw Harry murmuring his lines to himself over and over as the sun shone down on the students waiting for their auditions, she smiled a little as her partner continued to practise. She liked Harry, he was nice.

She turned and caught a glimpse of Hermione who was talking to Blaise about something and Luna smiled happily as the realisation hit her.

Something was going to happen, something big and exciting and new, and Hermione was going to be right in the middle of it.

XXXXXXXXX

"Ready?" she asked Blaise, looking at her partner who nodded his head, rolling his shoulders around.

"Sure my beauty,"

She smiled easily at him and walked confidently down the aisle to the performance stage. She was in her element here. She could do dramatics. She could do acting.

"Ready?" Draco asked as she and Blaise stood together on the stage, she turned to look at Blaise who nodded down at her.

"We're ready," she replied.

And so their performance began.

XXXXXXXXX

"You know it's true," Hermione whispered as Blaise sat on the floor, staring blankly out into the audience.

"It can't be,"

Hermione sat down next to him, and swallowed nervously, taking a deep breath.

"You knew since the very first time you heard,"

Blaise turned to look at her.

"I'm going to die Blaise."

She watched as Blaise tightened his fists and looked out into the audience, a sick nervous feeling uncurling in her stomach.

"I don't know you," Blaise murmured sadly. "I left before we ever had a chance to be a proper family."

Hermione nodded in reply. "I know,"

"I ran away. I couldn't deal with it. But I knew you'd be able to. I knew you'd hate me, but I thought id cause you more pain if I stayed."

"You were the person I loved more than anything in the world, you would never have caused me pain."

"I made a mistake."

"Yes."

"Forgive me?"

"I did the day you left."

It was silent as Blaise stood up and hoisted Hermione up, wrapping his arm around his sister protectively as he looked out into the audience.

"I don't know you," Blaise repeated and Hermione smiled softly. "Not anymore, but I'd love to be able to say I did."

"Then let's get to know each other," Hermione grinned and Blaise nodded, before Hermione looked away sadly, her eyes finding the outline of Mafloys head and shoulders.

"I'm not going to go through with the operations Blaise," Hermione said quietly and Blaise nodded, a tear sliding down his cheek.

"I didn't expect you to,"

"Never much of a fighter me," Hermione giggled, her breath hitching as hers eyes filled with tears. "I'd rather just enjoy what I have,"

"Just make the most of it," Blaise replied.

"Exactly,"

"So, shall we just try for now?" Blaise asked, looking down at his little sister, a small smile on his lips.

"Let's try for now," Hermione agreed, more tears spilling down her cheeks.

They both turned to the audience and bowed, then moved off the stage and out of the Hall door.

Hermione looked round at Blaise and smiled happily, her cheeks turning cold as the air hit them the minute they walked out the door.

"We did it!" She smiled and Blaise nodded chuckling.

"We did it,"

XXXXXXXXX

"Well that was unexpected," Ollivander commented, turning to Draco as Hat turned all of the lights on leaving Draco to wince in pain at the sudden change in brightness.

"You were expecting them to go full out?" Draco asked in reply, shifting in his seat.

"I was expecting the screaming and crying and death. You weren't?" Ollivander asked sceptically and Draco shook his head.

"No," he answered with complete sincerity, That's not Granger's style."

"And you know what is?" Ollivander asked quietly, his facial expression giving nothing away.

"She's my student, I know what she's like, she goes for subtle rather than obvious," Draco said rather sharply, images of Granger storming into his office, her anger and dislike so unhidden and obvious, that even a Troll would have been able to understand how she was feeling.

"She's definitely not subtle with her feelings, not one to hide away her emotions,"

"Tell me about it," Draco thought, Granger's intense eyes staring at him hatefully.

"So, shall we get to work?"Ollivander asked, and Draco settled back in his chair, preparing to decide the most important roles his students would ever play in their lives.


	3. Chapter 3

Draco woke to unfamiliar surroundings, and his confused eyes blinked wearily as his right hand fumbled around his bedside table trying to find the clock that was beeping incessantly at him. As sleep drifted away he remembered where he was and why he was here. To teach. Or rather, he was under the pretence of teaching, whilst his real objective lay low hidden under the surface until the right moment.

Draco yawned and walked to the shower, throwing his pyjamas onto the floor whilst the water warmed up and then stepping into the hot blaze of water. Draco liked the hot water, whilst his skin looked cold as ice and his nature as a person wasn't that different from cold, harsh snow, he despised the cold and demanded the water of his showers to an almost burning temperature.

As he ran his hands through his thick hair, he let his mind wander to the days ahead. His timetable consisted only of the students in the Seventh Year, the Number one pupils who were relying on him to help guide them through their Final Performance. Draco snorted, it was getting almost ridiculous, the things he would put himself through to please his father, and teaching here was one of them. It had required a great deal of superb acting on his part to convince Head of the school, Dumbledore, that teaching here was what he really wanted to do, and that the thought of spending time with young, hormonal performing students didn't make him feel sick.

However, the talent wasn't as bad as it could have been, and Draco could see potential in students, especially when Dumbledore had revealed what their Performance would be about. He got out of the shower and walked back into his room, using a towel to dry away the droplets of water on his body. He glanced down at the table, where the students photographs were laid about, each face smiling up at him. He and Ollivander had been looking at them late into the night, deciding the parts each student would play. Ollivander was a good choice to help decide the parts, he took it seriously and had watched every performance, picking apart every gesture and look the students made, he was good but tiring. He had argued every single one of Draco's ideas, not out of disagreement but purely because he wanted to make sure they had seen every possibility for each character choice. And Draco had gone along with it, arguing his case fiercely and almost proudly each time. He had only been here a couple of weeks but already he was sinking too far into the role as a teacher. He needed to remain as impersonal as possible, but with the curly haired, glaring girl in his class it was difficult to do.

He sighed at the thought of Granger, and tried to push the image his mind produced of the girl, flushed with her curls piled on top of head, in a skimpy vest top and shorts as she twirled around his classroom, flying into Zabini's arms with a grace that couldn't be taught. She had a much bigger affect on him then Draco would ever admit.

He reached down and picked up one of the photographs of a girl in his class and narrowed his eyes at it, he couldn't decide about this one. She was enigma, and not in a good way, not like Granger was. In a very worrying way, as if his mind and gut were warning him away from her already.

A knock at the door pulled Draco out of his thoughts and he frowned at his door, nobody ever came to his room, particularly not at this hour. Wrapping the towel around his waist he strolled over to the door and pulled it open.

And then stared.

Because Granger was stood right there. Granger was right fucking there. Staring at him.

"Umm," she murmured, looking down at the floor a pretty blush staining he cheeks. Wait no, not pretty, not pretty. Draco rolled his eyes at his own thoughts and cocked one eyebrow at the image of the girl stood there, a letter clutched in her hand.

"Granger?"

"Yes?" She said, looking up at him, her eyes wide.

"What the hell are you doing?" Draco asked, watching her as she shuffled awkwardly from side to side, her eyes flickering around the room behind him. Jesus she was close, close to his room.

"I've been told to give you this,"

"Why you?"

"I'm Head Girl, all teachers post gets sent to me."

"Why not just sent it to the teachers?"

"Its tradition,"

"That's the most foolish tradition I've ever heard,"

She glanced up at him her eyes blazing with fire. There we go, Draco smirked, insult her school and watch her anger levels boil.

"It's a tradition, Head's of the school deliver the teachers mail as a sign of the responsibility given to them. It's considered an honour," But Draco could tell from the look on her face as she watched him that an honour was not what she considered this to be, he smiled in amusement, not bothering to try and change his expression.

"Now take the letter so I can go," she demanded, thrusting her hand towards him impatiently. He reached out to grab it when he realised he was still holding the picture of the girl in his hand. He looked up at Granger to find her staring at the picture, her eyes narrowed as she tilted her head, he watched the smooth skin of her neck pull for a minute before silently cursing himself and chucking the photo of the girl back in his room.

"That was Pansy," Hermione pointed out rather obviously, looking at him in surprise and that infuriating curiosity that seemed to live inside of her.

"Yes, clever observation Granger," he replied, reaching to take the letter but she held it just a little out of his reach.

"You were holding a picture of Pansy?" Hermione asked, raising her eyebrows at him, her eyes questioning him and he quickly dropped on his cool mask of indifference.

"Yes,"

"May I ask why?"

"No,"

"You do realise Pansy is in my year, and one of your own students?" She asked, the assumption of romance between the two of them becoming obvious and he glared down at her.

"Don't be so childish." He said coldly, snatching the letter from her grasp and she blinked before her mouth dropped open.

"No, Malfoy, I didn't mean… Oh God, it was just like my mouth, shit…" She trailed off and Draco watched her curiously as she looked at him almost pleadingly, her hands playing with her fingernails as she watched him, her face looking genuinely apologetic.

He narrowed his eyes at her, and stepped back "I should hope not Granger, how dare you even insinuate something like that?"

"I'm sorry sir,"

"Sir?"

She glanced up at him in confusion and a small smile stretched across his features. " You must be sorry if you're calling me by the proper name,"

She smiled gently, her eyes still watching him with curiosity, but in a softer more inviting way and he started in surprise as his chest warmed at the sight. Shit, she's getting to close, cut her out, cut her out. He hardened his features and looked at her coldly.

"In future however, don't deliver me mail, have the Head Boy do it instead,"

He watched as he face fell slightly, watched as the subtle slight against her hit and she quickly dropped a mask across her face, just as he had done before, nodding at him. "Of course sir," she replied, spitting out the word sir as if it were poison and he swallowed, allowing no feelings to push their way into his head.

He shut the door and walked over to his bed, dropping down on it and wishing he could fall back asleep.

XXXXXXXXX

Shit, Hermione thought as she leaned against the wall, pressing her head into her hands and wishing for one of the first times that she wasn't here at this school, anywhere but here, anywhere away from Malfoy. Shit.

She had just insulted him, and not like a cheeky little schoolgirl insult to the teacher they have a crush on, she had just implied one of the biggest taboo's in modern day society. Shit, shit, shit. A romance between him and Pansy? How could she be so stupid? But then, she saw the way Pansy watched their teacher, her eyes following him the same way a predator would hunt its prey.

She sighed and rolled her eyes, it wouldn't be the first time Pansy had tried it on with a teacher, thinking briefly back to Professor Lockhart, and the relationship Pansy had tried to start, before they were caught and he was thrown out. Hermione swallowed, clearing her mind of the anger- and was that jealously? No not jealousy, just rage- at the thought of Pansy and Malfoy together. In that way.

"Urghh," she moaned to herself. Why had she insisted to Harry that she would deliver his mail? Oh yes, so she could prove to herself that did have the ability to be civil to him. Obviously not. "Stupid, stupid, stupid," she groaned, turning away from the wall and trudging back down the steps.

And she would have to face him again this afternoon to find out her part.

"What if he takes my part away? Gives me a much smaller part as punishment, Oh Hermione you stupid girl. What are you playing at?"

Hermione stopped on the middle of the stairs and pushed her hair back from her face, releasing a small murmur of annoyance at herself until she dropped her hands and her curls sprang back to life.

She obviously, for whatever bizarre, Godforsaken reason, didn't have complete control over her thinking and actions where Malfoy was concerned, and the only way to keep herself from completely getting thrown off the project would be just stay out of his way as much as she could. Civil but distant, never stay to long in his presence and make sure whatever conversation is always always always about the Final Performance.

Hermione sighed, ignoring the unhappy feeling in her gut, and continued her walk down the stairs. She always felt better about things if she had a plan for them. If she understood what she was doing and why and how. She began to walk along the corridor when Luna skipped past her, waving as she went. Hermione frowned and turned round.

"Luna?"

"Hello Hermione,"

"Hello," Hermione smiled, then walked forwards a little towards the eccentric blonde. Where are you going? We have a free period now?"

"Oh yes, oh, you were not at breakfast this morning," Luna replied solemnly and Hermione shook her head, raising her eyebrows.

"No, I had to deliver post, why what happened at breakfast?"

"Aside from the large amount of bad auras floating around, putting everyone in a bad mood, we received a message that all performers in the Number one show had to go to Professor Flitwicks office during first period."

"Why's that?"

"Hmm, I can't really remember. Let's go and see," Luna smiled dreamily at her and Hermione huffed a laugh, walking to catch up with her and then carrying on down the stairs to Flitwicks office.

The walk didn't take long and Hermione was content to walk in silence, listening to Luna's humming of some old folk song that she always would sing under her breath. When they reached the classroom, Hermione smiled to Luna who went to sit by herself whilst she walked over to Ron and Harry who had saved a space for her between them.

"Thought you wouldn't have come up here, no way of knowing since you weren't at breakfast. Blimey Hermione, how long did it take to deliver some post? Harry was done in ten minutes!" Ron asked quietly, and Hermione felt that old prickle of an argument stir at Ron's word.

"That is because Ronald, Harry didn't have to walk all the way up to the top floor to deliver his mail, whilst I did," Hermione answered and Ron watched her, his face slightly amused as if he had expected her to say those exact words.

"Class!" Flitwick clapped his small hands together, and despite his size, demanded the attention of the entire room. Hermione gaze drifted to the blonde, extremely beautiful woman, stood to the right of him, her hands clasped together and her blue summer dress floating down to the floor.

"Who is that?" Harry murmured, mirroring Hermione's exact thoughts and she shook her head in reply, tilting her neck softly towards Harry, so she didn't have to speak as loud.

"New assistant teacher perhaps?"

"Students, this is Professor Greengrass, she has been assigned to this class by Professor Dumbledore himself, and will be helping Professor Malfoy with your Final Performance,"

Hermione's eyes flickered around the room to see the boys nudging each other and smirking at the thought of working with this, as they would call it 'fit' new teacher, whilst most of the girls stared at her with a sort of suspicious dislike, as they would do with any new attractive female arrival. Hermione rolled her eyes at the predictable sight, she didn't care for any of that, as long as this teacher knew what she was doing.

Flitwick gestured for the blonde to come forward and she smiled gratefully, stepping into the space he had shuffled out of and staring at the class.

"Make or break time," Ron muttered and Hermione grinned in amusement. The trio had a sense about new teachers, after having gone through a lot of them over the years, and the first few words spoken directly to them always seemed to determine the opinion.

"Well hello, my name is Astoria Greengrass, and Professor Flitwick is correct I have been sent here to help with your Final Performance. I can't tell you exactly what my help to you will be yet as that will give too much information away about what your performance will be. However I would like to just quickly go over a few rules.

I will call you by your first names. And in return I feel comfortable allowing you to do the same. Astoria, or Tori is fine, whichever you prefer, or if this feels odd to you then of course Professor Greengrass is also acceptable," She paused and grinned at them, and Hermione turned to see her friends slowly slipping into the blonde teachers grasp, and bit her lip in annoyance. For some reason, she had so wanted their opinion of this new teacher to be low.

"However, I demand the same respect you give to any other teacher, understand that I am still in an superior position to you, and whilst I want a degree of informality with you, to help with your drama, I do also need a certain degree of professionalism from all of you."

The door banged open and every single person in the class turned to see Malfoy stood in the door, Hermione blushed but kept looking at him, it was unlike her nature to back away from something that made her scared.

"Urmmm…"

Draco stared at Astoria for a while, confusion written on his face as some of the students, mainly girls, giggled at his ignorance to the situation. Hermione leaned forward in her chair slightly, to watch Draco's face and felt Ron tense beside her. Frowning, she resisted the urge to turn around and ask what was wrong, instead wanting to see the exchange between the two teachers.

"You are?" Draco asked, his voice an unusual tone of politeness, and Hermione almost gasped to see a small smile on his lips.

"Astoria Greengrass," she replied, grinning as Draco continued to stare.

"You have no idea who I am do you?"

Draco looked momentarily shocked before sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck, a movement that had Hermione swallowing.

"Get a grip girl," she muttered to herself angrily, looking up to see Malfoy's eyes flicker to hers momentarily and the mornings massive mishap came flooding back to her.

"I'm your new help. I'm basically done with the students, so do you want to stay and I'll explain why I've interfered in your teaching?" Astoria smiled happily at Draco, pushing some of her ridiculously long blonde hair over her shoulder, and most of the girls in the class glanced at each other knowingly, whilst the boys just stared in awe of the beautiful woman.

"That would be great actually," Draco replied smiling and Hermione gaped in shock at his expression. He looked so relaxed, and at ease and just beautiful. Hermione shook herself and turned to see Ron staring at her worriedly, she smiled reassuringly and shook her head and he settled down a little, smiling softly at her.

"Class dismissed," Astoria said and then giggled happily as Draco walked across the room to her. Always wanted to say that,"

"It feels good doesn't it?"

"Yes actually, it does," Astoria giggled and Hermione pulled a face, knowing that particular noise was going to grate on her nerves before too long.

"-most beautiful children, imagine the hair!"

"Oh Lord, please tell me you two aren't already planning the marriage?" Hermione asked Parvati and Lavender as they walked ahead of her and the two girls turned around and smiled.

"Of course we are! Did you miss that little interaction there?" Parvati asked incredulously and Hermione shook her head.

"No, of course not. But there was nothing there to suggest-"

Oh Hermione don't be so naïve, of course there was!" Lavender snapped, although she was mainly fine with Hermione, her previous relationship with Ron did make the two of them a little snappy around each other. "They were practically eye undressing each other the entire time they were in there! The sexual tension was on full heat!"

"Don't be absurd," Hermione scoffed "There was nothing at all like that going on,"

"Is someone a little jealous?" Parvati asked, giggling as she and Lavender walked off in step together, hair swinging simultaneously.

Hermione gritted her teeth and stormed off in the direction of the library. The comfort of books was needed.

XXXXXXXXX

"So, it's primarily a love story," Draco started looking around his class to watch the reactions of his students. This revelation didn't surprise any of them, and the girl Lavender even giggled a little in happiness.

"About a boy and girl, and another girl and another boy," most of the students chuckled softly at his explanation but Granger rolled her eyes as she shifted on her seat and Weasley watched her curiously from his seat next to her.

"The story follows the love/hate relationship that a couple have, Max and Leah, Max is a soldier heading to war and Leah is in university. They fall deeply in love in the space of an incredibly short amount of time. They can only survive together, they fight and swear and bleed and love together, all mixed up, the lines of their emotions are so blurred but all they know is they need each other to survive. When Max enlists in the army, desperate to get back to the culture of war, without telling her, Leah is obviously devastated and the only way Max can face the separation is by convincing himself that Leah wants him to go. And for this reason, he begs her to tell him she hates him, and his only contact with her are the times he rings to hear her talk before once again begging her to hang up, but not before admitting her hate. Alone and with her heart slowly breaking, Leah finds comfort in the arms of Ryan who in turn falls in love with her, despite being engaged to his fiancée Kirsty. This performance follows their story. And that my students, is the blurb I have for you all. Now there are four main characters, but of course the other characters are needed as well or the show would completely fall apart. They are the backbone that keep the show together, and so without waiting around I shall tell you the main parts now,"

He shifted on his desk and looked around his group, aware that this was the beginning of the rest of their lives for them, and the small still humane part of him, really truly wished he was in this situation to fully help them thrive.

"Kirsty, Ryan's loveable and kind fiancé," Draco read off from the sheet of Performance information he was holding, Will be played by Pansy Parkinson,"

The group clapped, as Parkinson smiled and blinked slowly at him, her lips forming a subtle pout, as she glanced at Draco. The rest of the room exchanged subtle glances as the thought of Pansy ever being lovable and kind.

"Ryan, a lawyer who falls for Leah and wishes to give her the entire universe, will be played by.. Ronald Weasley. Well done Weasley, your solitary audition was very good,"

Granger grinned and bumped shoulders with Ron, his hands clutching hers in excitement, causing Draco to clench her jaw to resist smacking the ginger haired boy. What the actual fuck was happening? Draco thought as he watched Granger's smiles grow even wider as Weasley leaned over and whispered in her ear.

"Max, the possessive but totally devoted boyfriend, will be played by Blaise Zabini. Potter it was a close call between you and Zabini, but I didn't want to overwork as I know you're in that new film about wizards or something," Potter nodded and smiled, whilst Zabini stood up on his chair and started rotating his hips around in celebration, grinning and winking at the girls who whooped and laughed.

"Zabini get off the chair," Draco said rolling his eyes.

"Sorry boss," Zabini grinned and winked at Granger as he sat down, before Pansy leaned over, tilted the boys chin so he was facing her and basically started eating his face.

"Jesus, break it up you two, save it for your rooms, Christ," Draco ordered, his eyes half closed in disgust.

"And Leah the beautiful but heartbroken student, will be played by Granger," he lifted his eyes to meet hers and for the briefest of moments the two of them were locked together, kept held tightly by one another eyes, hers flickering with confusion, before Weasley pulled her off her seat and dragged her into a hug. She pulled her eyes away from his and closed her eyes as she wrapped her arms around Weasley's neck as he spun her round, whilst Potter clapped and cheered beside him

Granger grinned and squealed, actually squealed, a little as she was congratulated.

"Alright, so Blaise and Granger, could the two of you follow Astoria into the classroom next door, whilst the rest of you stay here and I'll let you know the rest of your parts and the game plan for the next few months," Draco quickly instructed, his eyes following Granger as she headed out of the door, whipping her head around to let her eyes catch his for a few more seconds, invoking in him that quick drop of his stomach before the door shut and his attention was drawn back to the pupils around him.

XXXXXXXXX

"Well it can be quite awkward for some people Blaise,"

Hermione watched as Blaise questioned the blonde about her involvement in how the romance between their two characters should be portrayed and her feet dangled off the edge of the desk she was perched on.

She tried to focus her mind on her new role, on how she needed to spend her free time rehearsing, but instead she was surrounded by thoughts of grey eyes, and bare chests, and the teacher she could never ever allow herself to think about.

"So why isn't Professor Malfoy directing our 'love scenes' as you put it?"

"Draco will have direct contact with you for your performances in every scene, he is directing the show after all, but we felt it may simply be easier for you to deal with if you had a female influence instead of Professor Malfoy's, just to help you feel comfortable with being so intimate with someone who is not a romantic interest,"

"Oh I don't know, Hermione's been pretty interested in me for quite some time now," Blaise winked over at her and she smiled fondly.

"Oh hush Blaise," she chuckled, hopping off the seat.

"What do we do about our timetables? Because we'll be in different places for our rehearsals?"

"Yes, that's right. Tomorrow, they'll be distributed at breakfast along with students mail. For now though, you return to normal lessons, but then tomorrow your preparation will start. I just want to check you're both fine with my involvement in this piece?" Astoria asked looking between the two of them, Blaise grinned.

"Sure," he replied, "We can always use some extra help,"

Hermione smiled softly in agreement, not wanting to make her growing dislike for the beautiful blonde too apparent. She grabbed her bag from the floor and turned to walk out the door, pulling it open with one hand, whilst the other, scrambled through her bag, looking for her mobile phone to call her parents.

She kept her eyes on the bag as she continued to walk out of the door, not seeing the person she had collided with until she was almost on the floor.

As strong arms pulled her back up to standing position, her brain started crying at the sight of Malfoy's blank face as his arms kept hold of her waist, while she got her balance back.

Why? Actually why God? This cannot be coincidence.

Malfoy stared down at her, his fingers pressing lightly into her skin on her waist, the heat from his hand burning her skin. He watched her calmly for a second, before his eyes flickered over her shoulder and he slowly removed his hands from her body.

And she remembered how to breathe again.

She swallowed deeply as Blaise reached her shoulder, and gently pushed her past Malfoy and out of the door.

And she swears to Merlin, she felt his fingers brush against her hand as she passed him. As her and Blaise walk to their next lesson, the little trains of fire on her hand, made by the ice cold touch of him, don't for one minute stop burning.

XXXXXXXXX

**Helllooooo my lovelies… **

**Thanks for reading, makes my day. My laptop decided that the numbers up the top of my keyboard, weren't going to work anymore, making things such a typing speech marks, which are quite important features of stories, incredibly difficult. So all speech marks, and exclamation marks have been copied and pasted… making it very long to edit and make perfect but here you are. So please excuse any of those mistakes, thank you.**


	4. Chapter 4

Hermione dodged in between the trees of the Forbidden Forest, her feet crunching twigs and her muscles burning. She took a deep breath of the warm morning air and started to pick up her speed a little bit, making sure to watch out for the tree roots. Malfoy had suggested to all the lead parts to have a fixed fitness routine so that when it came to learning dance steps good stamina would make it that little bit easier, to hold good strong notes whilst singing and to keep their feet moving. Strictly, the Forest was completely forbidden, hence the name, but Hermione tended to ignore this rule. It was easy to get lost and the tale of missing students still haunting the Forest and Hogwarts grounds put most students off, but Hermione found it calm in the woods, and the air was always a little cooler in the thick shade of the trees, and as summer was still burning brightly, she liked to have the refreshing breeze wafting around her body.

She glanced a little to her left and grinned at Ron who was keeping in step with her, a short distance away. Normally Harry would run with them, but he was shooting big scenes for his movie today, leaving her alone with Ron. Ron was still slightly cautious about the Forest, and its safety, meaning that he kept his eyes darting around and Hermione's expression turned into a fond smile, as she weaved her way closer to him.

She pushed forward a little, noticing as Ron started to catch up with her and keep in step, this in turn drove her on even more and so a race started out between the two of them, short breathy giggles echoing in the forest as they tried to overtake each other. She felt as Ron fell back to run behind her, and then without any sort of warning, her grabbed her stomach and lifted her off the floor. Ignoring her laughing protests, he twisted her behind him, placing him in the lead as he kept on going. Hermione grinned for a moment, staring at the back of Ron's head for a moment, before finding her footing and sprinting off after him.

"Even with cheating," Hermione panted breathlessly, her hand resting against the big tree they had been racing towards, "I still beat you." She laughed as Ron came to stand next to her, her chest rising and falling as he rolled his eyes in amusement.

"I let you win," he muttered.

"Of course you did Ronald," she grinned and opened her mouth to suggest they head back when Ron lifted up a hand to silence her, his eyebrows narrowed and unusually serious expression on his face.

"What's wrong?" She whispered anxiously, his eyes darting around. He seemed to not notice as he took a step towards her, his hand resting on her arm protectively. "Ron?"

"Can you hear that?"

Hermione strained her ears into the silence for a moment, then she began to shake her head, extremely confused when the noise drifted quietly in her hearing range.

"That sounds like…"

"Someone crying," Ron finished her sentence, his eyes locking with hers and they both stood in silence for a moment, the faint sounds of painful moans floating around them.

"It's coming from this way," Hermione said, beginning to jog off in the direction of the noise. Ron suddenly reached out and grabbed hold of her hand, his eyes burning into hers for a second.

"It might not be safe," Ron said, his tone dark and his hand gripping on to hers tightly.

"Ron, we can't just leave that person," Hermione replied, linking her fingers through his and giving them a gentle squeeze. "Come on, they might be seriously hurt,"

"I don't know Hermione…"

"Come on Ronald, we have to at least see," she pulled on their hands and when Ron refused to move, she dropped her fingers from his. "Fine, I'll go by myself,"

"No, you will not," Ron replied firmly, jogging next to her as they moved towards the sound. His entire body screamed of reluctance, but Hermione's heart swelled a little at his refusal to leave her and the proximity in which he was standing next to her.

The cries got steadfastly louder, and Hermione pushed on, leaping over stray bushes and weeds to continue through the Forest, the light streaming through and hitting random patches of wood.

"I see someone," Ron murmured, jogging faster and in front of her, his body positioned directly in front of hers. "Hang on…"

"What?" Hermione said impatiently, pushing past Ronald to gasp at the figure on the ground.

"Professor Greengrass?"

"Oh thank God," their teacher replied, looking up at them through watering eyes and tear stained cheeks.

Hermione noticed the deep gash in her knee and how her ankle was positioned at a funny angle in front of her. Dirt was smeared across her hands, and her long blonde ponytail had some leaves protruding out of it.

"Did you fall?" Ron asked, a little bit obviously, as the two of them stood looking down at her.

"I tripped over a tree root and think I may have twisted this ankle, she replied gesturing to her right foot, which she had stripped off the trainer and sock. I tried hopping but got so lost, and then was afraid I might stay here without anyone ever finding me. It's such a huge Forest." Astoria giggled a little hysterically at herself, but Hermione could see the relief in her eyes and understood completely. The forest was massive, stretching for miles and some of it wasn't even technically Hogwarts property, if a person did get seriously lost, it could take days to find them.

"Look, Ron do you think you could lift her? Cos you could carry her back the way we came, while I run back to the school and get help," Hermione suggested and Astoria shook her head.

"How will you know how to get back?"

"We leave trails when we come running," Hermione explained sheepishly, realising that technically she was admitting that her and Ron hadn't just broken the rules once they'd been here before. It was one of the strictest rules of Hogwarts, the Forest was off bounds.

"That's a clever idea, but you'll get into a lot of trouble when the other teachers realise. You two had to have already been in the forest to find me," Astoria groaned slightly as she tried to shift her position.

"We'll worry about that later, you're in no fit state to walk and I'm sure Ron will be able to carry you?" Hermione asked glancing over at Ron, whose ears had started to turn a bit red at the tips.

"Urm, yeah, sure. If that' alright Miss?"

"I'd be hugely grateful Ron," Astoria smiled widely at him, a pretty blush beginning to stain her cheeks as well and Hermione's lip curled up at Ron's entranced look until she realised and dropped her face back down to a more mutual expression.

"I hope I'm not too heavy," she chuckled as she locked her arms around Ron's neck as he scooped her up into his arms. Hermione rolled her eyes at the comment, her dislike for the blonde growing continuously.

"I'll come back and find you," she said firmly to Ron who was looking slightly bewildered, but started to walk forward, following the trail of red thread that Hermione had left behind the two of them. Hermione pulled the tangle of thread out of her pocket and bit off the end, placing it on the floor next to Ron's feet. "Don't move the thread, I'll be as fast as I can."

Then, without warning or any planning, she stepped forward and placed her palm on Ron's cheek, stroking his face gently before tearing off through the woods.

"Hermione, what are you doing girl?" She murmured as she ran realising, that the gesture had been more for their teachers benefit than her own.

XXXXXXXXX

He grinned at the water, thinking of the day ahead of him. It was gonna be a very interesting day, himself, Astoria, Blaise, Weasley and the cherry on the cake- Granger, all in one room for hours at a time.

Draco had found an ally in Astoria, she was clever and knew exactly how to bring the best performance out of every student. All of his pupils had warmed up to her, except the curly haired girl, who seemed ready to keep an extreme amount of distance between both her Professors. He shook his head slightly at thoughts of Granger. Of how he had stupidly, unable to resist, brushed her fingers against her hand a couple of days ago. Of how his body had burned with an intense amount of need when she had been pressed against him and of how watching her perform with Blaise and Weasley made him feel physically sick.

But he had to focus now, he didn't need to get distracted by her and if needs be, he was sure Astoria would happily help him…release his tension. Her relentless flirting and obvious want for him had not gone without notice, and normally Draco would of pounced on the opportunity. She was perfect for him, literally the perfect partner. But then he thought of Granger, his student, and the crackle of electricity that always seemed to burn in the air between the two of them. He didn't have that with Astoria, and he wasn't sure he'd be able to live knowing that there was someone so close by who he could potentially have who made him feel so alive.

"Draco, what the fuck are you thinking? She's your student for one and secondly, she obviously not interested and even if she was, nothing could ever happen."

"Malfoy! Malfoy! Oh for goodness sake, Draco!" He turned and blinked against the sun. Lifting up a hand to shade his eyes, a jolt of excitement ran through him as he saw Granger running towards him. From the direction of the Forbidden Forest.

"Granger, were you just in the Forest?" He asked, his mouth open slightly at the idea of Granger breaking any rules.

"Oh, of course that's what you'd focus on. Listen, no time, Professor Greengrass is in there,"

"In the Forest?"

"No. In the sky," Hermione retorted, shaking her head at him and he held up his hands, a surprised bout of laughter escaping his lips.

"It's not funny," Hermione smiled pressing her lips together to try and look more serious, "She's in the Forest and she's hurt so we need to go now,"

Hermione pulled at his hand and he swallowed deeply at the touch as she started to run, dragging him behind her. He pulled away and ran beside her, letting her lead him back towards the one place Dumbledore had sworn to him was off bounds. He'd been told about the dangers of the Forest, of the strange men rumoured to lurk in there, and his heart growled at the thought of Hermione in there alone, defenceless. Then his heart roared at the fact that he cared.

"You shouldn't have been in there," Draco said, his words harsh and unlike the light tone of conversation they had had before. Granger glanced at him from the corner of her eyes.

"It's a good place to run-"

"I don't care. You broke an important rule,"

Granger frowned slightly, "So did she,"

"Excuse me?"

"She broke the rule, exactly the same as us."

"It's not the same thing,"

"How is it not?" Granger asked, her anger starting to show as she stopped and looked at him, her chest heaving a little from the heat. He turned to look back at her, and his fingers clenched into a fist as he drank in the sight of her, flushed and a light sweat breaking out across her skin.

"It's completely different, I'm sure she had a very good reason to be out here-"

"So did we?"

"We?"

"Me and Ron," she replied casually, her golden eyes watching him, burning with that little flicker of emotion that he seemed to evoke in her. He clenched his jaw quickly at the thought of Weasley seeing her the way she was now, in a tight vest and incredibly short shorts.

It made him want to punch something, preferably Weasley's face. He snarled at her, his anger at her boiling up inside him. She had to ruin this, his perfectly planned job, she had to go and screw it all up.

"Oh brilliant, so both you and the Weasley boy are out here, being stupid." He took a moment to watch at the first insult hit her, and a sick kind of pleasure twisted in his stomach, he ignored the strong feeling of guilt that was trying to burn its way up to his head and warn him that he was being stupid and needed so much more control of himself, "Come out here for a quick fumble did you?"

The second the last syllable was out of his mouth, he knew he'd crossed the line. Any kind of professionalism the two had been maintaining was shot to the sky now, as her face contorted in a kind of rage he didn't know people possessed. But what scared him more, was that she was going to argue. Right now she would reply, instead of marching off and reporting it, she was going to stay locked in this moment of anger and a strong dislike burning between the two of them.

"How dare you!" She practically screamed at him, stepping closer into his personal space. "Don't you dare to talk me like that about Ron, honestly that is none of your business, and if you ever consider to insult my intelligence again-"

And just like that, with her in this proximity, and her quick tongue spitting out retorts that no women he'd met yet had been able to provide, he was lost. Lost to the argument, and the wit and completely lost to her.

"No, I think bringing your intelligence into this is a good idea. Who decided to go running in the middle of the Forbidden Forest-"

"I took precautions!"

"Oh please, you took Weasley-"

"I have thread it helps me find my way back to the castle-"

"Thread! Oh how reliable, that is the stupidest-"

"Professor Greengrass came out here with nothing, she took nothing to help her find her way back, so I hope to God you're gonna have the same 'conversation' with her-"

"She's an adult, if hadn't been injured she would have found a way-"

Hermione scoffed and looked away from him out into the trees, her arms crossed, forcing him to step further into her. "Don't give me that,"

"What are you insinuating Granger?"

"Nothing. I just can't believe that that's the excuse you're covering to protect her,"

"She's a capable independent woman-"

Granger laughed bitterly, looking deep at Draco with a dark humour in her eyes. "What'd she do? Bat her eyelashes and flip her pretty hair to convince you of her maturity and capability. Oh, you and Greengrass, I can see it now, the innocent victim and the tall hero,"

"Leave my relationship with her out of this-"

"I couldn't care less about your relationship Malfoy-"

"It's Professor Malfoy to you-"

"Then it's Miss Granger to you-"

"Why are you so affected?" He looked down at her, his anger slowly seeping away to make way for a new curiosity. One loose curl hung by Granger's face and she impatiently tucked it behind her ear, a move that was slowly worming its way into Malfoy heart. He watched with interest as she refused to meet his eyes, and paused before answering.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. We should go," Hermione turned to walk away and Malfoy gritted his teeth and reached out, grabbing her wrist with his long fingers. She whirled round and stared at his hand, her mouth open as she slowly drew her eyes up to look at him.

"Yes, you do. You're the only person in my whole class that still calls her Professor, that doesn't ask her opinion on scenes they're walking on, the only student I have who doesn't trust her, that I know, genuinely dislikes her?"

"That's a lie," Hermione stuttered out, her breathing short sharp breaths against his face and it was only then when he realised how close he was to her. His entire body was leant down as if he was about to mould into her. Her eyes flickered across his face.

"It's not a lie, what has made you so against her?"

The two of them stayed frozen, both staring at the other as if there was no other option for them. He felt like he was drowning and not a good kind of drowning, anger surged up in him. She was so ordinary. Nothing, nothing, nothing special about her. And yet, he was so attracted to her.

"Hermione? Is that you?" Hearing Weasley's voice made Draco stumble away from her, watching as she blinked and swallowed, trying to grab her composure back.

"Yes Ron, we're coming to get you," she replied, turning to Draco and inclining her head towards Ron's voice. Showing no emotion, he took off after her as she ran to aide him.

XXXXXXXXX

Hermione sat with Ron outside the Hospital Wing, her hands clasped in her laps, weaving her fingers together nervously. Ron sat quietly beside her, not fidgeting or moving at all.

"Hermione?"

"It's his biggest rule Ron, the one rule he made every student understand he was deadly serious about. Oh God, what was I thinking?"

"What were _we_ thinking Hermione. Me and Harry were there with you,"

"Yes, but you two are the dangerous ones, I'm the sensible one that helps us out of those situations, but this time I have no excuse,"

"Hey, don't worry so much, we'll just have to explain and hope that saving Tori manages to loosen the heat on us. Look at me,"

She twisted her head to the left and peered nervously at him, chewing slightly on her lower lip.

"It'll be fine," Ron murmured, brushing his fingers against her face and Hermione released a sigh as she leant into the gesture.

"Uh huh,"

They both shot their heads up and Hermione blushed an alarming shade as Malfoy stood, staring with an incredibly bored expression at the pair of them.

"Professor Dumbledore will see you now,"

All three of them walked into the Hospital Wing, and Hermione kept her eyes fixed on the ground as she walked towards a man she respected and liked very much. Dumbledore had never really been a major character in her life, just a comforting presence that reassured her of things she had already known, and offered words he had twisted into strange riddles as comfort and advice. It had always been Harry that Dumbledore loved, and the loyalty and affection between boy and man was evident for anyone to see.

"A wise man once said 'Curiosity is lying in wait for every secret'. And it seems he was right. Curiosity is natural to the soul of man, and the two of you, or I should say three, knowing that wherever there is two of you, inevitably there is three, and the three of you channel curiosity is almost every aspect of life. You draw danger to you with a courage that should be commended. But then one has to wonder, if courage just another form of stupidity?"

Dumbledore looked between the two of them from the seat next to Professor Greengrass' beard. His eyes twinkled as he stroked his beard, and stood from his chair, surveying the two of them.

"But it is of no matter, merely the ramblings of an old man. You will serve detentions for two weeks, and are lucky but also unfortunate that Miss Greengrass was out in the Forest at the same time. I will not ban you from the Forest, for your tendency to ignore rules, may only heighten your desire to go there, instead I shall strongly warn you against it. You three are powerful, more than you can imagine, but not everything in that Forest can be beaten. Good day to you all,"

And with that he strolled out of the Hospital Wing, humming softly as he went.

"You know everyone thinks Luna's absolutely nuts, but really she isn't all that different to him," Ron said, breaking the silence and Hermione glanced up at Draco before quickly averting her eyes to Ron's face.

"How do we know what detentions we have?"

"I'm sure we'll get the letter tomorrow at breakfast," Ron said moodily.

"We should go," Hermione muttered, keeping her eyes moving about the room. Harry will be arriving from his shoot soon.

"Yeah, we can meet him out front." Ron nodded to Professor Greengrass, who smiled and whispered a thanks, whilst barely looking at Malfoy before storming off.

Hermione turned to follow him.

"Granger,"

Her heart thudded in her chest, as she turned slowly back around.

"Yes?"

"I'm not suggesting or warning, I'm telling. Do not go back in that Forest," Malfoy said darkly, his face a frown as he watched her, one hand resting on Astoria's bed.

Hermione opened her mouth to make a retort about independence, before she thought better of it. It was not just the two of them, another Professor was in the room, which is exactly why he had said it. Giving her no other option but to agree to what he had said.

She nodded, her eyes narrowing a little at him as she did, before turning and stomping off after Ron.

Draco shook his head after her, a small barely there amused smile on his face, as he remembered Grangers stormy expression.

"Draco?"

He turned back to Astoria and smiled down at her, allowing the flow of conversation to dance between them.

XXXXXXXX

"You have got to be kidding me?"

Draco lifted his head from the newspaper he was currently reading at the Professors table and glanced down at the table the outburst had come from. A small smile flitted across his features for a moment as he watched Granger stare at the letter in front of her, anger and annoyance laced into her features.

Weasel and Potter were both leaning towards her sympathetically, as Potter slowly tugged the letter from Grangers grasp and placed it on the table. Usual noise slowly bled back into the Hall, only being silenced for a short moment by Grangers outburst.

"Do you think she's alright?" Astoria asked, leaning slightly into Draco, keeping her eyes fixed on the bushy haired girl, whilst Draco became very aware of the way she was pressed slightly into him, her fruity perfume drifting through the air.

"I'm sure she'll be fine," Draco smirked, lifting a drink to his lips as he watched Granger twist towards him. He cocked an eyebrow at her outraged expression and if anything she seemed to get even more angry, her brown eyes seemed to smoulder even from the distance she was away from him. Grabbing her bag, she pulled it forcefully from underneath the table and sashayed out of the Hall, her hips swinging as she marched away.

He noticed Weasley staring after her, looking as entranced as he felt and inwardly groaned. The little hip action Granger had got when she was angry, really should not have been attractive. However it was, incredibly so.

Placing his cup back on the table, Draco stood from the table. "One moment," he murmured to Astoria, before quickly walking down the Hall and out its front doors, ignoring the looks from students and professors alike.

He looked up through the stairs trying to see if he could spot the curly haired girl before she got too far away.

"Malfoy?"

The voice drew his attention and he turned to the left to see Granger staring at him, her letter clutched in one hand and her other hand a tight fist.

"Woah, planning on punching me?" He grinned at the ludicrousness of the question, but the way she took a step towards him, seemed to dull down his amusement slightly. He had a feeling, that if she really wanted to, her fist would be thrown very hardly against his face.

"What is this?" She hissed, holding up her detention letter.

"It's your detention letter," he replied blankly, loving the way his blood seemed beat faster and the emotions raged through his body as he wound her up. The adrenaline pumped through him as he watched her face burn with intense dislike, and he despite himself, despite his morals and knowing that this indulgence was so so wrong, he loved it.

"I know that! I meant why the Hell am I doing it with you?"

"Oh, you don't want to?" He smirked as she took another step closer.

"The idea of spending any time with you, alone or otherwise and for the period of two whole weeks, makes me feel physically sick," she spat and he blinked at the way the words kind of pierced him a little, like little small splinters against his feelings. He frowned and the words, instead of causing him to back down, riled in him what he'd obviously riled in her.

Bending his head down to intimidate and crowd her personal space even more, he murmured softly "See the thing is Granger, I think you're lying,"

"You think you're so clever-" She retorted and he grinned, rocking back on his feet.

"I know I am,"

"Oh will you take your head out of your own backside, it's incredibly annoying. I will attend this detention, but only because of the importance of this Final Piece," she said her voice exasperated and he nodded, still grinning.

"That's made me so pleased," his voice dripped with sarcasm and she glowered at him, turning and practically running up the stairs.

Malfoy allowed himself a small chuckle before he turned and almost collided with another Professor. Severus Snape was a strong friend of his fathers, though recently a lot of distance had been put between the two. Draco had always like Snape, despite rarely seeing him, and now the man watched him steadily, his black eyes shining.

"Be careful Draco," he murmured silkily, sweeping past him and Draco turned to watch him slowly descend the steps to the dungeons, he heart racing at the knowing look Snape had held in his eyes as he spoke.

XXXXXX

The library was quiet as always, and Hermione sighed happily at her place of refuge. The days rehearsal had gone badly. She hadn't been able to create with Blaise the right amount of burning sexual tension that Professor Greengrass insisted was so important. And despite her dislike of the woman, Hermione understood her point. The whole point of the dance they had been practising was it showed Leah's strong conflict over the two men who had become part of her life.

The dance incorporated Hermione and both Blaise and Ron, with Hermione being spun between them. Hermione's dance steps with Ron had to be loving and tender, precise and easy to watch, whereas with Blaise it had to be burning. It had to be hatred and love all rolled into one, and Hermione just wasn't able to reach inside her and pull out those emotions for the dance, leaving every person involved tense and frustrated.

"Granger,"

Hermione glanced up to see Malfoy and her shoulders drooped a little. She turned her head back to the shelves off books, and trailed her fingers along their spine.

"Just don't, not today,"

"I just wanted to say, that when working it's probably best to listen to the teacher who is trying to help you and not just swan out of the room, leaving everybody waiting," Malfoy finished and watched her expectantly, waiting no doubt for her short witty reply. Instead, Hermione sighed. She blinked back the tears that had angrily sprung to her eyes and whipped around to face him.

"Malfoy, is there any chance you could be rude to me tomorrow? You will be sitting on our performance practise again, and you can be rude to me then, or even better at the detention which I have to do with you. 'Cos I have to have to deal with this today, I swear to you I will lose it. So please, I'd appreciate it."

She finished talking and turned back to the books, walking calmly around the shelves, breathing deeply in the smell of pages unturned and information just waiting to be read.

"Hermione,"

She turned around in surprise at his use of her first name, and tucked the stray curl behind her ear as she stood and waited for him to speak. She kept her arms wrapped around herself, to hold herself up. People make mistakes all the time, she just takes the mistakes she made a lot harder than other people. And today, for whatever reason she had let not only herself down in the rehearsal, but Ron and Blaise too.

"Stop trying to hold onto your mistakes, you can't start the next chapter of your story if you keep re-reading your last one." Draco said quietly to her, his voice sincere and almost kind. His face was blank and unreadable, like always, but it didn't hold that bitter hostile sharpness that it usually did. He wasn't speaking to prove his superiority or to try and get a rise out of her. He was offering her some small form of comfort.

Hermione opened and closed mouth, frustration at the man in front of her, bubbling up. He was so…

"You're so-"

She trailed off and continued her search for the right book, ignoring him completely as she drifted between the shelves. He grinned at her change in manner, and followed her round the shelves.

"Charming?" He supplied for her, "Wholesome?"

Despite her stony features her lips quirked a little and she snapped back without missing a beat.

"Unwelcome."

"You're not as mean as you think you are, you know that?" He pressed and she whipped her head around to look at him.

"And you're not as brilliant and perfect as you think you are," she replied, plucking a book of the shelf and pressing it to her chest. She wandered around in search of a free table, and sunk into the chair, placing her book on the table in front of her.

"Well someone's touchy," Malfoy replied, picking the book up and flicking through the pages. Hermione rolled her eyes and lurched out of her seat, snatching the book back, and stroking the cover softly as though Malfoy had harmed it with her ungentle touch.

"Leave," Hermione commanded, her tone light but with a hint of authority that made Malfoy smirk.

"Whatever you want dear," he replied, slowly strolling out of the library, Hermione twisted in her seat to watch him walk away a small from on her forehead.

"Dear?" She murmured in confusion, shaking her head and letting her eyes drift over the words of the book, lulling her slowly away from Hogwarts and into a whole new world.

XXXXXXXXX

Dear? Draco rubbed across his face and pushed the same hand into his hair. Dear? What was he doing?

XXXXXXXXX

**Bonjour! Marvellous to see you again. Now, I have been getting a lot of questions regarding the ages of Hermione and Draco so I thought I would clear it up now for you all. ****In my head, I had Hermione and everyone in her year to be seventeen or eighteen, with Hermione being seventeen. And Draco isn't reeeaaaallllyy old, but twenty four, giving enough age gap between the two of them for their blooming relationship to be a little bit frowned upon if you were looking at their relationship primarily on their age, and forgetting the whole teacher/student part, but still for Draco to be young enough to be seen as a young and modern genius. As I mentioned before, my keyboard is stubbornly refusing to be fixed, so if there are any mistakes with things such as speech marks or so on, please let me know so I can edit them. Leave reviews telling me what you think, if you so wish. Thank you****!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello beautiful people! Just to quickly say, the writing in italic, is scenes from the students Final Performance, and I have written it from the characters perspective, not Hermione playing Leah, but Leah. And reviews are awesome, so let me know what you think! Ooooh, also the song during the Hermione Draco dance seen is All the right moves by Apologize. **

XXXXXXXXX

Hermione spent the day by the lake, she and the other main leads for the Final Performance had had the day off, their rehearsal time was more intense than the other students, simply because they had more songs and dance steps to learn. Currently, she was leant against Ron, her back pressed against the right side of his stomach, as her feet dangled in the water. Together, Ron and herself created a right angle, as he leant back on his palms, holding both himself and Hermione up. Harry was lying down on the grass, his head leant against Hermione legs as he tossed a ball between his hands. They made quite the picture Hermione realised, but she was comfortable like this, and what with Harry being away she enjoyed spending this time with her two boys.

Her thoughts drifted off over the past years, and the mischief and trouble the trio always seemed to find themselves in. Then her thoughts, slowly but completely inevitably turned to Voldemort. That seemed to happen to her, no matter who she was with or where she was, that flickering flame of fear that she held over the actor wouldn't be extinguished. She sighed quietly and ran her fingers through Harry's hair, hating how caught up in it all he was, how Voldemorts sincere hatred of her best friend, meant him to be in serious danger. He was safe in Hogwarts, despite what the press thought he was safe here, Dumbledore's protection was the best thing for him right now.

In short, Voldemort was a sick, sick person who's belief in astronomy and the stories and prophecies that they were meant to predict, and constant contact with a 'psychic' left him completely convinced that Harry had been placed on Earth as his biggest obstacle. The one challenge left, before he could take the place of the greatest and most powerful actor in the world. Voldemort had become involved in dodgy stuff, a long time before Harry was even born, but combining his fear of being defeated and the 'power' he had gained through the drugs, alcohol and gang involvement, Voldemort had become a very dangerous man, whose intent, quite simply, was to have Harry killed.

The only reason, the press, police, government, every group of authority hadn't connected him to other killings or trouble, was because he had managed to gain many of them under his control as well. Hermione shuffled on Ron's chest, letting her head drop against his shoulder. Her thoughts turned to other things, though they weren't much better. She had her detention today. The detention with Malfoy. The one she had been trying very very hard to forget about. It was today. She swallowed nervously, her hand coming up to tuck her curls behind her ears. An hour, alone with a man who made her feel things she didn't understand, and whose eyes seemed to understand her like no one else's. A man who was her teacher.

She groaned.

XXXXXXXXX

"So Daphne, you're a whore right?"

Daphne Greengrass snapped her book shut and glanced to the left, her eyes narrowing with disdain at the girl who had delicately slid into the seat next to her.

"Beautiful conversation starter Parkinson, how long did it take you to come up with that one?" Daphne replied, placing her book back on the table, and pushing her reading glasses onto the top of her head.

"Witty," Pansy bit back, her hand whipping out and twisting the end of Daphne's plait around her fingers.

"Was there a particular reason for this pleasant visit, or were you simply trying to ruin my day?" Daphne smiled at the darker haired girl, her mannerisms and body language giving away nothing about the pure dislike she felt for the girl.

"Oh come now Queenie, no need to be like that,"

Daphne jaw clenched at the nickname given to her but she shrugged it off, raising her eyebrows at the girl and waiting for her reply.

"So, you do agree you have been with your fair share of men?" Pansy asked, her voice slipping down into a quieter tone as she added "And women,"

Daphne gracefully stood up, shooting Pansy a withering look and began to walk away from the couch in the Common Room, refusing to deal with Parkinson's childish games when Pansy's hand shot out and grabbed her by the wrist.

"Now darling, you may want to seat your rather sizable arse back down, before these pictures of you and Tracey Davis sharing some saliva manage to find their way around the entire school, hmm?" Pansy waved a brown envelope around, pulling out one of the pictures just enough to let Daphne see the top half of her and Tracey kissing rather passionately. "What would dear old daddy have to say about that Queenie, or have you already 'come out' to him?"

Daphne scowled as she watched the girl she had known for pretty much all her life. Whilst homosexuality was a lot more accepted in the Wizarding World, than in Muggle Culture her father held very strong Catholic like views on that particular topic, and being a strong Slytherin, Daphne shuddered a little at the consequences she would suffer if her father found out that she did indeed, like girls.

"You bitch," Daphne murmured as she sat back, her back arched, and her hands clasped on the book she had been reading.

"Learn how to play the game sweetie, don't think you can blink those big blue eyes at me, and flip your wavy hair and I'll fawn at your feet. This is about power, and if the best you can do is spread your legs, well darling, have fun in the real world."

"What do you want Parkinson?"

"You and I have different qualities. One being our distinct difference in the relationship department,"

"Meaning that I've actually had relationships whereas the only contact you've had with a boy would be the times that Zabini needed to release his tension, when we all know his true feelings for…."

"Enough." Pansy barked, making some of the younger Slytherin students watch her warily. "Enough," she repeated softly.

"If I cannot have Blaise, and it seems I can't, then I want the next best. I want Draco Malfoy," Pansy announced quietly, leaning towards Daphne slightly.

There was a short pause in which Daphne's eyes widened slightly before she began to laugh, the tinkling sound drifting round the Common Room, and attracting the attention of some of the males.

"Dear Lord, calm down before you give yourself a headache," Pansy muttered angrily, her eyes flickering around the green room. When Daphne finished giggling, she lifted her eye level to Pansy, and stroked away some of the tears gathered there.

"Time for someone to take her medication I think. You cannot be serious, you want your Final Performance teacher?"

"Yes. I will have him. And it will be before Granger."

"Granger? Oh Pansy, Granger would never go for a teacher, she's too much of a prude to even consider the possibility."

"She's more of a slut than people give her credit for. Now listen here Queenie,"

"That's not my name,"

"Didn't Marcus used to call you that?"

The blow took place in Daphne's eyes, and flashes of betrayal and hurt scattered across her face.

"Do take some time to regain your composure won't you darling?" Pansy rolled her eyes, examining her nails as Daphne took a deep breath.

"I'm listening,"

Oh good," Pansy smiled falsely, shuffling further towards her on the sofa.

"You will help me get Malfoy, and you will make sure his attention stays on me once it has been caught. Or else, these photos could get misplaced in some very unfortunate position, like oh I don't know, your daddy's desk. Chao sweetie,"

And with that Pansy strutted from the room, leaving Daphne to try and hold herself together. A break down in the middle of the Slytherin corridor, would be pounced upon.

XXXXXXXXX

"_You wanna talk about it?" _

_Leah glanced to her left, and frowned slightly at the man who had plonked himself down next to her. She fingered the rim of her glass with her little finger, her eyes locking on the wedding ring he wore on his left hand. _

_Indulging the man, she took a swig of her drink before speaking. "Talk about what?"_

"_About whatever it is,"_

_She turned to look at him properly, her face confused, he downed a shot and pushed the glass back towards the bartender. _

"_Sometimes it helps, to talk," he clarified, twisting in his seat and fixing her one of the most intense looks she had ever seen since, well since, no, she wasn't going to think about him. _

_There was a long pause. The man was attractive, his orange hair glinting in the clubs lights and she smiled a little at the awkward way he bobbed his head along to the music. _

_Taking a deep breath, she turned her whole body to face him and clasped her fingers together in her lap._

"_He, urm, he left. He left me." _

_The man nodded, "Another woman?"_

"_No,"_

"_Another man?" _

_She chuckled and shook her head "No, thank God,"_

"_So, why'd he leave?"_

"_Army,"_

"_Oh right," _

"_Yeah," she took another deep breath and looked right in the man eyes, he stared right back and it was like he was drawing the words out of her. Like he was slowly coaxing her into accepting, accepting and talking. _

"_I miss him." _

"_You're hurting,"_

"_More than anyone will ever know," _

"_It's natural,"_

_A tear slid down her cheek and she giggled a little breathily. Leaning forward on her chair, she caught his blue green eyes and held his gaze. _

"_Thank you," she whispered. _

_He nodded "Anytime,"_

_She smiled, and grabbed her coat off the back of the chair she was sitting on, pulling it on and slinging her bag over her shoulder. _

"_Hey wait!" _

_She turned to look back at the ginger haired man. " I'm Ryan." _

_She smiled "Leah,"_

"Stop! That was brilliant. Really, that was really really good." Astoria praised, hopping forward on her crutches, grinning at the pair of them. How you managed to create such an honest recreation of Dumbledore's dream for it, I have no idea.

"We'll go over it again, for cues and props and lines, but take a five minute break that was excellent." Hermione squeezed Ron's arm as she walked down the stage steps, purposefully ignoring Draco's watchful eye.

XXXXXXXXX

Draco kept his eyes fixed on the clock as it slowly ticked over to six o clock, sharp. And not a moment too soon, three short knocks on his classroom door echoed throughout the empty room. Pulling some paper towards him, and grabbing a pen, he fixed his eyes on the blank pages and spoke casually.

"Come in,"

The door opened and he refused to tilt his head up and meet the eye of the curly haired girl stood in his classroom.

"Malfoy," she said after a beat of silence and he looked up in mock surprise, a smirk spreading across his features.

"Oh Granger, how wonderful to see you,"

She rolled her eyes and pulled out a chair, sitting down on it delicately whilst she dropped her bag to the floor.

"So?" She spoke again and he raised his eyebrows.

"So?" He repeated.

"What do you want me to do?" She asked, glancing around the room, to see if there was any hidden work he wanted her to carry out.

"Oh for your detention, I hadn't really thought about it," he replied, his tone bored as he flipped through blank papers, examining them carefully.

"Brilliant," she muttered and Draco frowned and looked up at her.

"How's the scene coming?" Draco asked suddenly, and Hermione snapped her head up to look at him, her eyes narrowing as she tried to conclude what kind of mood he was in.

"You were there. You saw it today?"

"No, not that scene. The dancing scene,"

Hermione bit her lip and pushed a hand through her curls, a trait Draco had come to recognise.

"Not too good," she murmured finally, her eyes locked on the floor and Draco swallowed. Then he took a deep breath and asked casually "You want to run it with me?"

"With you?"

"Yes Granger. That is what I just said," he replied impatiently, his face expressionless.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why would you help me?"

He frowned "That's not the most intelligent question you've ever asked. I'm your teacher, it is my job."

"But you don't…"

"Don't what?"

"Like me," she said quietly and it was like the room froze.

If only she knew, he thought to himself. His face hardened and his jaw clenched a little as he looked at her innocent expression.

"Whatever feelings I may have for you are irrelevant Granger. I am here to help you, do you want it or not?"

After a while she nodded her head and he turned his back to her to sort the music out. He heard her shuffling behind him, and realised she was creating a working space. When he turned back around, the floor was clear of desks, and Granger had shrugged off her jacket, leaving on a skimpy white vest. He inwardly groaned at the sight, she had pulled her hair up into a bun, not bothering to tuck in some of the curls.

"Now, you need to really try and connect with how Leah's feeling at this exact moment," he spoke watching as she stretched her arms and legs.

"But I don't know how she's feeling. I understand what the dance is meant to represent but I can't place myself there. It's like she just won't open up to this bit, and if I can't understand her then I can't perform it best."

"It's meant to represent her feelings towards how the men make her feel. Ryan is safe and comforting, something she knows how to respond to and can feel comfortable there. With Max it's dark and possessive and strange, she has no control over how she responds to him. In Leah's eyes, Max took her heart without her permission. That's why, when dancing with Ryan or Ron, the moves and soft, they're easy and straight to the point, it's mainly in hold, so you have just as much control as Ron does. But with Blaise, you have to let go. Of all of it. Leah surrenders herself to him, that's why the dance steps there are much more tango/argentine tango."

"I don't know how to just let go of myself,"

"Oh come on Granger. There must be someone who makes you feel like you have no control over your body or responses when around them,"

He turned back to look at her and the pair quietly stared at each other for a while.

"The Weasley kid?" He murmured and she blinked dazedly and nodded her head.

"Right so here we go," he pressed play and the music floated through the air. Hermione locked her eyes on Draco as they waited for the right break in the music. Suddenly, like a man possessed, he moved forward grabbing her by the waist and staring deeply into her eyes. His face giving nothing away.

As she was taught to do, she let him support her as she leant back, dropping her head and closing her eyes, exposing her neck and chest for him to see. He pulled her up, flush against his own body and she began to breathe heavily as he stroked across her cheek, his hand finding its way around to the nape of her neck, like Blaise had been taught. Then she span out of his grasp, creating distance between the pair, her feet seemed to let the steps flow through her without much thought as she circled him, their eyes never leaving each other. Without even stopping to think, she leapt at him, her legs wrapping around his waist as she cupped his face. He walked with her still clung to him, his eyes burning with emotions she couldn't understand, they were too dark and intense for her to even want to contemplate.

When she was finally lowered to the ground, she kicked and twisted her legs through his, her hands grasping his shoulders for support. She felt like she was drowning by how close he was. Draco then grabbed her hand and spun her away from, where in the actual performance, she would fall into Ron's arms who would spin her off around the floor whilst Blaise waited, until she would be spun back to him. The music slowly trailed off, and she was left standing across the room from him, panting, with a dry mouth.

In return, he seemed just as frozen as she was. His hair slightly mussed from where she had let her fingers twist through it during some of the steps.

But none of that mattered, no what mattered, was she hadn't danced that step as Leah, she had danced that as herself. And the feelings she had had then, weren't Leah's. They were very much her own.

XXXXXXXXX

"_So what you're effectively saying is, you don't know what you want?" Ryan spoke softly into the dark room and Leah pushed her hands through her hair, scraping it away from her face. _

"_Yes," she replied after a moment and heard him exhale sharply. _

"_You don't want me?" He murmured and she turned to face him, her eyes flickering across his mask of composure. _

"_Ryan, if he, if I had never known Max, then it would just be you. There couldn't be anyone else, all I would want would be you. Because you keep me safe, and you make me smile and I don't hurt around you. But with him, it's like I'm burning and I ache from just him, but he's not here and I don't know! I'm sorry, I just, I have no idea." She replied, a lone tear slipping down her face, and she clutched at her stomach at much the same way she had when he first left, as if it was physically paining her to stand up straight. _

_Then the music played and she fell into Ryan's arms. And like always he caught her. He guided her around the floor, keeping it calm and gentle, and loving with every step, never demanding anything, his blue green eyes always smiling at her. But then Ryan slipped away, back into the shadows and it was just her, staring out into the darkness. But then hands grabbed at her waist harshly and span her towards them. And she knew those hands, so she knew it was him. _

But then Hermione blinked, because she wasn't looking up at Max anymore. She was looking at Blaise, her friend Blaise. And the moves became slightly stunted, because it felt too wrong and passionate to dance this with Blaise. She wanted to dance this with him. But as she glimpsed over Blaise's shoulder as he walked across the floor with her draped over him, she saw Malfoy. And it was like her whole world began to spin.

Because now she had found Max.

_So she closed her eyes and once they were open Max was stood before her, his hard eyes glinting with unspoken apologies and wishes for the future. And her moves became wild, because she let go of Hermione and became Leah. _

_Leah whose hands found cold smooth, pale skin, and smouldering grey eyes. Leah whose hands found blonde silky locks of hair and Leah who hated Max for how he made her feel. But Leah who at the same time, completely and utterly adored him. Leah who loved Max. Leah who was heartbroken. _

_Then she was spun, between the two of them. Ryan and Max. Max and Ryan, the two men who had become the centre of her world. The two made who made her feel such different emotions, the two men she would die for. _

_One who was fire, and one who was water. One who made her burn and one who slowly lapped his way into her heart. _

_One who ripped her apart completely, and one who slowly built her back up again. _

_But, she knew without a doubt, that she needed them both. _

"Cut!" Hermione blinked and shook her head, opening her eyes to see both Ron and Blaise's grinning faces at her.

"That was fucking awesome," Blaise practically screamed and Professor Greengrass scolded him gently, before agreeing.

"It was amazing. Congratulations," she offered to Hermione who smiled at her in appreciation. Ron picked her up and crushed her in a huge hug, muttering words of praise into her shoulder. Over his shoulder, she watched Malfoy nod curtly before swiftly leaving the room. Hermione's heart sank a little at his exit.

XXXXXXXXX

He had been jealous.

There was no other way to describe those emotions. He had been so jealous, it felt like his chest was too small and he had wanted to punch the wall. At least ten times. He clenched his fists together and let his head fall against the wall outside the classroom. She was going to kill him. Literally.

Seeing her like that, with no control only need, in Blaise's arms. Blaise's! It had ripped and clawed and torn at him, watching as she span between two boys, both of them touching and loving her. Both of them clutching her hair, and grasping at her face. Whilst she, in return, clung desperately to both of them. It was only acting, he repeated to himself over and over. It wasn't real.

She was getting too close, and his resistance to her, for some godforsaken reason, was low. Her eyes, and her hair and her smile, and her fucking eyes. All of it just added up to feelings he didn't want to think about.

"Jesus Christ," he moaned, opening his eyes just as the door to his left opened.

"Malfoy?"

There was a pause, silence roaring between them.

"What is it Granger?"

"I just wanted to say thanks," he could see her twisting a curl around her finger before tucking it behind her ear and his stomach and heart clenched almost painfully. He pushed away from the wall and looked down at her.

"Yeah well, need to keep your feet pointed," he replied quietly and she nodded.

"You want to come watch the rest of the scene? I was thinking you could go over it with me today in detention?" She smiled softly at him and he instinctively shook his head, stepping backwards.

"No, your detentions are over now,"

"I've only done one?"

"I have better things to be doing with my time than babysit you Granger,"

She looked at him blankly for a moment, then turned back into the classroom and shut the door.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Mr Draco Malfoy sir?"

Draco looked up from his book and stared at the young boy stood in front of him.

"Can I help you?" He asked, raising one eyebrow at the child. The boy shifted nervously, clutching a bit of paper in his hand as he stood in ragged and worn clothes, a smudge of dirt across his cheek.

"I'm to be giving you this message Mr Draco sir,"

Draco frowned at the boy's unusual way of speaking, and glanced at the message, scanning the words. He stood up abruptly and looked back down at the child.

"Thank you," he said and the boy grinned, his face looking like it was going to split and he did a strange half bow motion before heading back to the door out of Draco's office.

"Urm wait, what's your name?" He called out after the child who turned around, wonder on his face at Draco's question.

"It's Erasmus sir,"

Draco smirked "Erasmus?"

"Yes," the boy said simply still smiling and Draco couldn't help the little smile of his own that spread at the boys face.

"Well I hope to see you around Erasmus,"

"Oh me too sir, honour to be meeting you sir," and with that the boy turned and walked out of the door, skipping as he went. Draco shook his head and began to head out of the door himself.

He was about halfway down the corridor when he bumped straight into one of his students. Pansy Parkinson.

She flashed him a smile and he noticed as she ran a hand through her sleek black hair, ruffling it up as she pushed it away from her face.

"Professor? I was just wondering if I could have a moment…sir," she added on the end and Draco watched her for a moment, an uneasy feeling settling in his stomach.

"I'm actually just about to go and meet someone, sorry Pansy,"

"No, its okay. Just needed some help on my performance, can I come see you some other time?" She widened her eyes subtlety, so much so that Draco almost missed it. He narrowed his eyes at her but nodded.

"Of course," he replied slowly watching as she blinked and smiled at him, biting her lip as she did so.

"Thanks sir," she chirruped and moved past him, brushing her arm as she did so.

"Anytime," he said after her, watching her go with a slightly nauseous feeling as she swung her hips, in an attempt to be seductive.

"Oh dear Lord," he murmured as he continued to walk away.

As he reached the end of the corridor he heard Parkinson's voice ring out.

"It was too easy darling,"

Without stopping to think what she was talking about he continued his way through the castle, ignoring the suspicious look Weasley gave him as he passed him on the corridor.

He didn't want to think about Weasley, because if he thought about Weasley, he would think about her, and that was not a good idea. Especially with who he was about to meet. As he reached the entrance of the Hogwarts, he took a deep breath and straightened out his shirt. Ignoring the feeling that was definitely not fear pumping through his veins, he pulled one of the heavy doors opened and smirked at who he saw there.

"Hello Father,"

XXXXXXXXX

"So I had a thought,"

"Thinking Ronald?"

"No need to sound so surprised,"

Hermione chuckled and moved to sit on the sofa with him, watching affectionately as he shuffled himself around to face her. The fire crackled in the common room, it was late so the place was completely empty save for the two of them.

"What have you been thinking?"

He cleared his thought and a pink tinge coloured the top of his ears. Hermione raised her eyebrows and tilted her head slightly to catch his eyes.

"Ron?"

"About us,"

Hermione stomach dropped, only to be replaced by millions of butterflies, swooping and soaring through her chest.

"Us," she repeated quietly.

"I know, with the show and stuff it's not the um, it's not the best time to be doing this," he gestured awkwardly between the pair of them and Hermione pressed her lips together nervously.

"I just, I like you, and I think, no I hope," he chuckled anxiously, "That you um, you like me too?"

She paused and looked at him for a moment. His beautiful eyes and soft face that seemed to have shown her every emotion on the spectrum, their fights and banter and laughs. A happy smile spread across her lips.

"Yes I do,"

He exhaled deeply and leant towards her, pausing near her face and letting his eyes look up at hers. She took a deep breath and then closed her own, her heart pounding until finally he pressed his lips against hers.

And she tried so hard, so so hard, to not think of blonde hair and grey stormy eyes.


	6. Chapter 6

Draco knew the differences between love and lust. He'd never felt love, but he'd read enough books and watched enough plays to see how it was portrayed. He was able to nail down the rules and principles of love, so that when he performed it, people bought his performance. It seemed genuine to them, but it was just the basic outline of love they were seeing. Because Draco didn't know the little details and hidden possibilities of love, they were for other people to experience. Not him.

He sat up in bed and tried desperately not to think of the jeopardy that he had just put his job in by sleeping with the person who was essentially, his deputy. Her blonde hair was cascaded across the pillow, and her breathing was even and relaxed.

"Oh sweet Jesus," he moaned. "What am I doing?"

He knew what he was doing. He was using lust, a strong emotion in itself, to combat lust for someone completely out of bounds. So he used sex, to try and deny any unwanted feelings, to prove to himself that he could have whoever he wanted. And to do that, he had slept with Astoria. He stood up and walked over to the window, the sun was high in the air, but he could tell the air was crisp and cold. He glanced down at the grounds, his head tilting to the side as he watched two students walk towards the Lake, their hands intertwined. Astoria shifted, on the bed behind him and he glanced at her quickly, then turned his attention back out the window.

His breathing remained steady, and his facial features were impassive. Despite, the fact that Granger was stood there, her hands locked with Weasley's as she gently kissed his face. His heart thudded against his chest and his hands balled into fists, he thought back to his talk with his father yesterday and his features hardened. He was here to finish the job his father had started, emotions would get in the way.

Unwanted emotions needed to be stopped.

He turned back and instead of heading to the shower and preparing for the day ahead, he slipped back into bed and began to press light kisses along Astoria bare shoulders. He smirked, sex was a good way to forget.

XXXXXXXXX

"Have you heard the news?" Daphne asked as Pansy came strutting into the dinner hall, her sleek hair tied back from her face.

"Of course I've heard, once again the Golden Trio manage to become the main focus of attention, even with their tedious love lifes,"

"Don't you realise what this means?"

Pansy raised an eyebrow at her, her lips seeming to form an ever present pout.

"It means that whatever feelings you thought Granger had for Malfoy are nonexistent. She doesn't care about Malfoy, as everyone's always known her attention is firmly latched onto the ginge."

Pansy scoffed and took a sip of water from her goblet, "Don't underestimate her Queenie,"

"You can't honestly believe that Granger, the curly haired prude, is after her teacher?"

"I don't just believe it darling, I know it," Pansy replied, idly flicking through pages of the newspaper.

Daphne just stared at her in disbelief. The more she spent with the girl, the more she was beginning to realise how screwed up she actually was.

"Urm Daph?"

Daphne looked up from the table to catch the well known blue eyes of Tracey. Her heart quickly sped up and she felt the familiar fluttering in her stomach. Glancing away from her lover her eyes slid down to the smirking face of Pansy. Daphne scowled and Pansy raised her eyebrows in mock surprise.

"Can I talk to you please?" Tracey asked, her brunette hair falling just over her shoulder. It had been a while since Daphne had spent any time with her, so focused on Pansy and her nutcase scheme.

"Yeah, course," she replied quickly, rising from the table and gathering her paper.

"Remember sweetie, you're meeting with me in about oh, forty five minutes to go over our plan of action."

"Yes I know," Daphne murmured back, gently pushing Tracey away from the table, her hand lingering on her back for just a little too long.

XXXXXXXXX

Hermione tapped her foot against her chair leg, and glanced around the room. Everyone was sat in a circle, preparing to be told the plan of work for today, but there was no teacher. Both Malfoy and Professor Greengrass were half an hour late. It was pissing her off, schedules had to be kept to, and any excuse to be annoyed at Malfoy was a good excuse.

The doors banged open and Paravti and Lavender raced into the room, giggling manically together. Hermione rolled her eyes at the pair of them, as they dragged chairs across the room and pushed them next to Hermione's. She caught a snippet of their hushed conversation.

"… I swear Lav, she came out of his room, her hair all tousled and she definitely had the after-sex glow…"

Hermione closed her eyes against their gossip and leaned back in her chair. Her eyes snapped open a little while later when she felt fingers gently stroking across her thumb. She turned and saw Ron, his chair pressed right next to hers, his fingers rubbing soothing patterns against her skin. Her stomach plummeted for a moment, with what felt a lot like guilt, before she forced a smile onto her face and laced their fingers together. Leaning across, ignoring the others gasps of surprise or happiness she gently kissed him, like she had done earlier in the morning down by the lake. And it was nice. It was, really really nice, just not what she wanted.

"Kindly refrain from doing that in my lesson Granger,"

She pulled away at the interruption and glanced up at the face of the voice she knew so very well. She locked eyes with him, and it was like they both just knew. She knew that she as was trapped in this thing that was going on between them as well as he did. The moment passed and he cleared his throat, walking to the head of the classroom and turning to the eager students.

"So today, we're going to be leaving,"

Everyone in the room frowned and glanced at each other.

"Going where?" Blaise asked.

"To Gringott's Theatre." He replied shortly, ignoring the short gasps that came from every student in the room. Gringotts was renowned as one of the best theatres in the world, holding performances that no other theatre would dream of, or be able to afford.

Hermione looked over at Blaise and grinned, it was his dream to go to Gringotts, and now he didn't even have to try and fight his way in.

"Awesome," he whispered to her and she nodded, feeling as Ron's grip on her hand tightened slightly. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes at Ron subtle display of possessiveness. But then she supposed it was to be expected, her relationship with Blaise was so speculated about, that Hermione knew some of the First Year girls had started to write their own stories based on the two of them, something she wasn't sure whether she should be amused by or slightly worried.

Professor Greengrass stood next to Malfoy at the top of the room, and Hermione mentally hit herself for noticing how close she was stood to him, and the well hidden hickey that was just peeking out from her top. She also smacked herself from noticing how Lavender and Parvati, nudged each other and giggled. She just prayed to a nonexistent God, that what they had been gossiping about before what not in any way, about Professor Greengrass and Malfoy.

"So, everyone go to the entrance of the school and wait there, Tori will show you the way,"

"Tori will show the way," Hermione mimicked under her breath, a nasal biting quality in her tone of voice. Blaise leaned across into Hermione's personal space and tilted her chin up to meet her eyes, ignoring Ron's small burst of protest and the intimacy of the gesture. Blaise raised a dark eyebrow at her, and she bit her lip, a blush of colour coming to her cheeks. She knew that she would have to explain her mimic to him later on, hiding her feelings from Blaise was practically impossible. She turned away from him to plant a kiss on Ron's cheek, when she caught sight of Draco staring at the three of them.

That must of looked so oddly perfect, Hermione caught between the two men who were making her life Hell. On and off stage.

"Granger, stay behind a moment." Malfoy called, and she hated the way her heartbeat picked up, like a stupid puppy, eager to hear its Masters voice. She stood up from her chair and pulled Ron up from his too, she stood directly in front of Ron. Her back and her eyesight away from Malfoy.

She sighed a little but smiled at Ron, whose eyes had narrowed at the blond, watching him over Hermione's shoulder.

"I'll be one minute," she promised quietly.

"I can wait for you outside," Ron suggested and she shook her head.

"No, seriously, go save me a seat. I'm a big girl, I can handle him," she smiled again and something must have made her performance convincing because his eyes softened and he leaned down and lightly brushed his lips against hers.

She turned and watched him walk out the door, a gentle smile still playing on her lips. The moment he was gone, she turned back around and raised one eyebrow at Malfoy.

"Yes?"

"You and Weasley," he said it bluntly, nothing showing in his face or eyes. Hermione cocked her head to one side, because if there was one thing that was a given with Malfoy, it's that whenever they engaged in this; this weird, sexual tension filled awkwardness, he was full of emotion. But now it was like he was empty.

"Yes," she repeated, watching him intently for any flicker of emotion.

He nodded, then turned back to his desk "Don't let it affect you're studies,"

Hermione blinked. He completely ignored her, the silence echoing louder than any of the fights she had had with him, had.

She frowned confused, then turned to walk out of the door, pausing before walking right back to him.

"That's it?" She asked, shaking her head slightly in confusion.

Draco turned to look at her. "That's it," he confirmed.

"No snide comment about my choice of boyfriend, or as Ron was invited to come to this school and I wasn't he could do better?"

"It's really not any of my business,"

"That never stopped you before," she murmured, watching him.

He pressed his lips together and nodded towards the door, "You should head out to the coach,"

"No," she shook her head defiantly, and he raised his eyebrows at her.

"No?" He questioned.

"I'm not leaving until you tell me what's wrong," she replied to him, crossing her arms. He barked out a laugh and leaned against his desk.

"There is nothing wrong with me Granger. Don't not assume that just because I am not indulging in your petty arguments that there must be something the matter. Now go,"

Hermione inhaled, the words stinging more than they should have. He was arrogant and cold and most of the time treated her like she was inferior, but he had never been intentionally hurtful before. "You're being different," she accused and he narrowed his eyes.

"Be quiet Granger and go to the bus,"

"Don't treat me like a child," she retorted, the familiar sick satisfaction lacing its way through her veins as she finally got through to him, and engaged him in their normal banter.

"Then stop acting like one."

"How am I acting like a child? All I'm doing is enquiring after you?"

"It's not your place to do so. Our relationship is strictly professional."

"Oh please," she scoffed, "Our relationship has never been professional. Most of the time, because you refuse to let it be that way,"

"Do not blame this on me," he snarled and for a moment Hermione wondered if she had gone too far. If she should of backed down and left, but then she remembered how in her Third Year, she and Harry had defied their Ministry by helping a convict, his godfather, escape. Whilst it was a story for another time she would not be intimidated by him.

"Whatever is going on between us-" she began, only to be cut off as he span back round and glared at her.

"No. There is nothing happening here. At all, you are a delusional child with a crush. That is all, and I refuse to be caught up in your games."

"In my games?" Hermione gasped, fury enriching her words as she took a step closer to him. "My games? What about yours? What about how you treat me? How one minute you treat me like absolute crap and then the next you're looking at me like-"

"Like what?" He hissed, moving towards her, his proximity perhaps for the first time, was very unwanted.

"Like I'm…"

"Do not finish that sentence." He growled, stepping closer he grabbed the back of her head and bought it close to his face. His eyes bore into hers and she wasn't entirely sure of what he was going to do next.

"There is nothing I could ever want from you Granger," he murmured, watching her face as his words pierced into her very being. She swallowed, desperately blinking against the sting of tears.

"Get out," he whispered.

And so she fled.

XXXXXXXXX

"I need you to do something for me."

Hermione wearily turned around, and cursed the lone tear that rolled down her cheek. She inhaled deeply.

"And what would that be?" She asked, her voice trembling a little. Daphne Greengrass stood forward out of the shadows and walked towards her, stopping just in front of her face and snatching the teardrop from her cheek, pressing it between her fingers.

"I know you don't trust me, nor do you have reason to. But I promise that what I ask of you is in your best interest."

"Just tell me what it is," Hermione murmured.

"Promise me that you will not under any circumstances, pursue Professor Malfoy."

Hermione's mouth dropped open and she stared at Daphne. The blonde blinked right back at her, taking of her glasses and tucking them on top of her head. Her green eyes gazed at Hermione intently, and Hermione found herself huffing out a laugh.

"From what I've heard you're an intelligent girl Daphne, how could you say something so ludicrous?"

"I'm a writer Granger. Part of my inspiration comes from people, I see how the pair of you interact. Now please promise me."

Hermione picked up the pieces of her stupid hurting heart and threw them away, out into the blackness, never again.

"I absolutely promise to never ever, even in my wildest dreams, pursue the vile scumbag that is Malfoy. Now in return you must promise to never think up such bizarre, simply disgusting things again." Hermione laughed, pulling her cloak of acting around her as a shield.

"I have to go, we're going to Gringotts," she smiled hesitantly at the blonde, remembering that she was still a Slytherin. And with Slytherin's performance was everything.

Turning her back, she began to make her way out to the front of the school.

"Why were you crying?"

Hermione whipped her head back around.

"If the idea of you and Malfoy being linked in any kind of way is so preposterous, then why did you leave his room crying?" Daphne asked, watching Hermione with sad strange eyes.

"Hayfever,"

XXXXXXXXX

Draco walked into the Gringotts theatre way after the performance they were meant to see had finished. He had needed time, away from his group and Astoria and everything and her. He slipped into the darkened hall and looked up at the stage frowning a little at the sight of Granger and Weasley stood up there talking with people he knew would of been performing in the earlier show.

"Hey," he murmured when he reached Astoria, gently touching her arm. She turned to face him and smiled her deep blue eyes outlined with charcoal, her hair floating round her face. " What's going on?" He asked gesturing towards the stage.

"Well they knew we were coming so they took the rest of the kids behind the stage to do different workshops with them depending on what they're doing in the performance. You got here just in time actually. They ran some exercises with Hermione and Ron and they're about to perform,"

A couple of moments after the Astoria had finished talking Granger rolled her shoulders back as Ron walked to the other side of the stage.

"They're doing their kiss scene," Astoria murmured to him, grinning.

Draco nodded in reply, his eyes firmly fixed on the curly haired girl, despite how much he wanted to tear his eyes away, he just couldn't. Stood on the stage with the lights reflecting her hair and her composed 'working' face, she just looked so beautiful. He swallowed and gritted his teeth.

_Leah walked towards the door and wrenched it open. She stood silently for a moment staring at Ryan as he watched her In return. _

"_Long time no see,_"_ she murmured, stepping out of the doorway and letting him into her flat. It felt strange to have a man who wasn't Max alone with her. She went and sat on the chair next to her dining table. She didn't say anything, she knew she didn't have to. He had seen her red eyes. He knew she was missing him. _

_The radio softly hummed in the background, a song she didn't recognise filling the air. She lifted her eyes to find a hand outstretched towards her. She tiredly glanced up to see that Ryan had shrugged off his jacket and was softly smiling at her. _

"_I don't bite,_"_ he said quietly and she wearily took his hand, sighing as he pulled her up to stand in front of him. _

_He pulled her close to him and began to sway them to the music, she kept her body tense and her chin just managed to rest on his shoulder. He spun them gently around the room and soon her eyes were over spilling with tears. They rolled onto his shoulder and soaked into his shirt but she couldn't stop. He spun her away from him and when he pulled her back in close, his thumbs stroked across her cheeks._

"_One so beautiful, should not be so sad,_"_ he murmured leaning down close to her. Her heart began to beat faster and faster and she felt trembles breaking out across her body. Her heart was breaking, slowly ripping in two. Because she couldn't have both. Not both of them. And as he slowly kissed her, his tongue exploring her mouth and his hands caressing her face, she found she couldn't bring herself to care. _

_So she kissed back, twining her arms around his neck and pressing her body closer-_

Hermione pulled away from Ron as an extremely loud bang echoed across the Hall, causing the other actors watching to jump as well. She looked over to the exit to see the door slowly banging against the wall, having just been forced open by someone in a rage.

That was when she noticed Malfoy was missing.

XXXXXXXXX

"Hey watch it buddy-"

Malfoy pushed the man up outside the wall of the theatre, ignoring the gasps from the people around him. He pressed his arm against the man's throat and found a sick satisfaction in the way his eyes widened in fear.

He needed to vent.

In Malfoy's mind jealousy was passion turned into madness. Sick, burning, torturing madness. The kind of madness that made people do awful, awful things. But they had been kissing like they were-

She had been kissing him, like he was something special. Like he was worthy of what she had to offer. He wanted to rip Weasley from her, destroy her memories of him and rid him from her mind. So that she would never do that little smile that only Weasley seemed to receive and she wouldn't twist her fingers in his hair.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, releasing the man from his grip. He ran his hand through his hair and looked back at Gringotts. In all honesty, he was proud that he had got out of there alive with murdering, kicking or punching anyone. The man he had held just now was a small blip. A tiny mistake.

"Screw this," he screamed suddenly, ignoring the strange glances he received from people as he stormed away from the theatre and the person inside it that was slowly poisoning him from the inside out.

XXXXXXXXX

She was sick of his dramatics, sick of his pretence of nonchalance, sick of his mind games, sick of his rudeness. Just sick of him. This was her life, this was her biggest chance, in his hands and she refused to let him just toy with it and her like this. She marched up every flight of stairs, her face probably red and her hair flying everywhere.

She would talk this out with him, whether he liked it or not. They would put an end to this stupid, unbearable tension. But when she reached the top of the stairs and walked across the hallway to Malfoy's room, she stopped. His door was open.

He was kissing Astoria Greengrass. He pulled away and locked eyes with her. They were harsh and full of no regret or shame.

Hermione Granger's heart snapped in two.

XXXXXXXX

**Life pushed me to the ground, pointed and laughed. It's really slapped me in the face and I'm scared it's come across in this chapter. Let me know and if I need to change it, I will for you guys. Thanks for reading.**


	7. Chapter 7

It hurt in a way she had never really been hurt before. She'd felt emotional pain before of course, she was a teenager, angst was hardly a rare feeling for her. But this was a different kind of pain. This kind pulled at her chest and gripped on so tightly that she really couldn't twist her way out of it. It was a dull ache that stayed there, buried deep and hidden, but so fresh and new that anything could give her a new twinge of pain. It was a pain that was so numbed but yet so agonising that she couldn't even bring herself to cry. She's sure she will at some point, when she finally accepts it, but right now she just kind of smiles and pretends it's not happening, because sometimes things are easier to bear that way.

She avoids sad songs, she doesn't know the kind of affect they could have and she only truly remembers this kind of pain once before, when Ronald kissed Lavender and she does not want to go back to that place. In fact, she'll do almost anything to fight it. So she listens to hard songs, songs about strength and independence and joy. She stays far away from the ones that could worm their way into her carefully constructed wall and pull it apart. She makes herself believe truly and utterly that she's moving on and that this pain isn't real, but it is. And she knows that deep deep down, that's probably why it hurts so much.

But she remembers before, and it's not like the movies where the heroine cries throughout one night and then wakes up a changed woman, well maybe it is for some, but not her. She gave herself so many nights where that would just be it, where she'd be over it and never have to deal with the pain again, but it always came back, and so this time she doesn't even try to pretend. She's hurting but she buries it, she controls it better this time, because theres not a lot else she can do really. The world keeps spinning, and the suns still shining and she's only a teenager for God's sake, but this feels so real. The curse of teenage hormones, she supposes, it intensifies everything.

He's with someone else, she doesn't know if its real or not. She hopes not, she doesn't like the fact that he never felt anything for her, but _she_ obviously meant everything. But it's happened and she has to deal with it now. She did her part, she tried to get him to acknowledge that they had a 'thing', despite how wrong it was, despite how much trouble they could get in. She tried and he still chose someone else, so really, she has nothing left to try now.

She watches them together sometimes, she won't mean to but sometimes she'll forget that looking at him hurts, so she'll glance up and he'll be there talking to her and smiling and grinning as if Hermione had never existed. Maybe that's what hurts so much, maybe that's what gives her pain the burn. Knowing that he doesn't care anymore. That he probably never did. Cos she's a girl with frizzy hair, and too much knowledge, and an obsession with good books. Whilst Astoria is pretty and accomplished, and stunning and mature and so right for him.

And now, despite however hard she tries, she still feels like a shell. But she'll keep smiling, because in all honesty she has no other option.

XXXXXXXXX

"Well I never thought I'd live to see the day," Pansy murmured to herself as she watched Granger settle down next to Weasley in the morning. She leant over to the red haired boy and placed her head in the crook of his neck, her face bank and her shoulders slumped.

Pansy glanced over to the teachers table and raised an eyebrow at Draco who was studiously eating his breakfast. The almost methodical nature of his eating was strange, and he avoided talking to anyone.

"What have you done you bad boy?" She muttered to herself, thinking about the broken aura that Hermione had surrounded herself in and the way that Draco refused to look at her.

"You knew**!**"

The sudden screech had Pansy dropping her compact mirror and lifting her eyes idly to meet the fuming blonde haired girl. In situations like this, it was best to be completely indifferent. Pansy had to be known as the one who was always in control. Made people more scared of her that way.

"To what are you referring to darling? And please lower your voice, you're making a scene," Pansy replied to Daphne, whose eyes were shining and cheeks were flushed.

"He's coming back. Marcus. You're fucking father is making him come back**!**"

Pansy rolled her eyes at the blondes dramatics and smirked a little. "Sweetheart, he has to come back if he wants to get promoted. He has to at least past N.E. Drama Level or he won't be able to get a job anywhere,"

"Shut up**!** Shut up**! **Shut up**!**" Daphne sobbed, hysterically crying and slamming down the newspaper in her hand.

"After torrid affair with Marcus Flint, 'Queenie's' sexuality comes into question**!**" Daphne screamed. "You promised me**!** You bitch**!**"

Suddenly she was being pulled away from leaning over the table and slapping Pansy by none other than Hermione Granger.

"Enough Daphne, stop," she murmured soothingly, pulling her away from Pansy's presence and out of the Great Hall.

"Such a drama queen, it's not like it was top secret," Pansy smirked, picking up her mirror and checking her reflection.

XXXXXXXX

"That girl is vile, Astoria murmured quietly as they watched Granger slowly pull her away from the drama, her hand rubbing small circles on Daphne's back.

"Couldn't agree more," Draco replied watching the Slytherin table. Most of them were muttering quietly to each other, no doubt planning ways to over throw Daphne in the weird popularity hierarchy that only the Slytherin house seemed to have.

"You know what," Draco said suddenly, putting down his cutlery. "I'm going to go and see if she's okay. I don't like Granger helping her out, she'll get too emotionally tangled in it all and I know it'll affect her studies,"

"I don't know why you're suddenly so worried," Astoria watched him curiously, one eyebrow cocked. She was wearing her hair up because Draco had told her he preferred it, and she had on a silk green blouse, probably because Draco had told her it was his favourite colour. The whole thing was suffocating.

"What?" Draco asked, standing up from the table.

"Well, you barely even talk to Hermione anymore. It's like the two of you purposefully ignore each other during rehearsal," Astoria explained looking up at him.

"She's still my student," Draco retorted immediately. He glanced up and watched Granger veer off with Daphne to the left, and he walked round from the table, following suit. He didn't look back at Astoria once, ignoring her call.

Draco followed the sound of Hermione's soft soothing words, and stood outside the door to the empty classroom the pair where in, standing with his back to the wall and listening to the interaction between the two girls.

"After the whole Marcus, me, Katie love triangle, I just wanted it forgotten. I knew that my reputation then was going to be about promiscuity. That people would assume I was a slut. But I was a slut who had shagged Marcus, one of the most powerful upcoming actors there was. So I guess it gave me some sort of authority,"

Daphne paused and Draco tilted his head to look into the room. Granger was stood next to Daphne, who was perched on a table, her hands twisting together nervously. Granger nodded encouragingly, as if telling her to continue.

"After Marcus' Final Performance, I just, I just needed him to leave. I couldn't wait for it. For him and Katie to leave and for the whispers to finally die down," Daphne sobbed a little, brushing the tears away. "I don't know why I screwed him. I don't know why, even though I knew he was betrothed to her, I knew that if I was found out people would hate me ever. I just, I fell in love. He was something I just couldn't stop,"

Daphne looked up at Granger and smiled weakly. "Thank you Hermione,"

Granger shrugged and pushed her hair behind her ears. "The way I see it Daphne, no one can make you feel inferior without your consent."

"Eleanor Roosevelt?" Daphne giggled and Granger grinned.

"She had it right. You should remember that. You made a mistake, a lot of people do,"

"You're a special kid Granger," Daphne murmured, standing up. "Thank you," she repeated.

With her head hung low Daphne shuffled out of the room, her sobs starting up again from their brief pause. Luckily Daphne walked straight past him, her hair, which even Draco would admit was usually so beautifully and intricately done, hung limp around her head- like a curtain, blocking her from view of the world.

Quietly Draco took a step into the room and watched Granger, who was stood with her back to him. She had on a tight clingy plain black jumper, which stuck to her curves. Her legs seemed encased by a pair of plain black skinny jeans, and Draco swallowed. She turned around and for a moment didn't even see him, but then her head tilted up and her eyes caught his.

Her hair was springy round her face and Draco decided he liked them best like that, wild and free. She averted her eyes from his face and muttered a small greeting, attempting to shuffle past him and out of the room. His hand stuck out and grabbed her arm, pulling her back to face him. He saw for a fleeting moment, that familiar look of outrage and aggression that she would fling his way before releasing her onslaught of jibes ad vicious words. But that look passed and instead there lay a blank, almost bored expression as she stared at his hand, her eyebrows slightly raised. With a roll of his eyes, he released her and she drew her gaze up to his.

"Malfoy-" she began but he cut her off immediately.

"You can't keep avoiding me,"

"I think you'll find I can do what I like," she replied a little bit more forcefully, still not meeting his gaze but looking over his shoulder, out of the classroom.

He sighed and pressed his lips together, looking down at her. "It was just a kiss Granger," the tone of his voice was a lot more gentle than he had intended, a lot more … tender.

"Oh huh," Granger laughed out, her eyes wild and almost, sad. She took a step back from him and continued laughing breathily. "Do not think for one moment that you kissing Professor Greengrass has anything to do with me avoiding you,"

"Aside from the fact that kissing her is completely unprofessional, but then I guess you already are, it could put this whole year's work in huge jeopardy, but then you probably didn't even think of that did you?"

"As a matter of fact I did,"

"Oh, and you still did it anyway. The whole year knows your shagging her. And that's what you wanted really wasn't it? Men, always thinking about their dicks," she stopped speaking and stood with her back to him, her breathing heavy.

He didn't realise this would happen. He didn't realise she would be hurt by this. And that's when he knew this had gone too far. When he started wanting to punch people out of jealousy and she was getting hurt by him kissing other people, that was when Draco knew he was screwed. Royally screwed.

"You know your interest in my love life is so very touching, but I don't believe it's actually any of your business,"

She turned to face him, the bottom of her eyes glistening with tears and she nodded in reply. "No you're right, it's not,"

And with that she tried to walk past him, out of the room and out of this situation the pair of them had landed themselves in. But he quickly read what she was attempting to do and sidestepped to the left, blocking her way out from the door.

For a moment the two of them stared at each other, their eyes locked in the heated gaze. He unconsciously took a step forward, so that their bodies were almost touching and saw as wetted her lips with her tongue nervously.

"What are you doing to me Granger?" He asked, so quietly it was a whisper, she shook her head at him, her eyes never leaving his.

"I'm not doing anything," she murmured back, shaking her head still so that some of her curls fell behind her shoulder. In one quick smooth motion, Draco tangled his fingers in her hair and cupped the side of her neck, feeling her pulse quicken beneath his fingers.

"Whatever this is, whatever spell you're putting on me, you have to know Granger, I can't stand it," he said quietly then lowered his head to her neck. His self control, his awareness for where he was, his knowledge of the taboo that was teacher/student relationships had all vanished. He didn't care. Because at that moment he could smell vanilla, and feel her skin under his lips as he kissed up her neck, finding a spot just below her ear that literally made her tremble. In reply to her little shiver, he locked his other arm around her back and possessively pulled her against him.

"This is wrong," Granger muttered, her voice shaky and weak as Draco hovered over her lips.

"So stop it… Hermione,"

He felt her hand curl in the collar of his shirt and with one sharp tug she had yanked his head so that his lips fell upon hers. He kissed her roughly and with no hesitation or doubt. Because he had wanted this for so, so long.

He heard and felt her moan against his mouth as he sucked and nipped at her lips, and the sound caused him to tighten his fist in her jumper and growl against her. He pushed her lips apart and slid his tongue against her own, not caring about trivial things such as oxygen or the fact that students would soon begin milling past the open door to this classroom. He pushed up her shirt and slid his hand across the skin at her back, the touch igniting the dangerous twitch just below his stomach.

But the touch also seemed to startle Granger, and like always her brain snapped into gear and she pulled away, her cheeks flushed and her lips swollen. She'd never looked more beautiful.

"Oh God, oh God, oh God," she muttered, pulling herself out of his grasp and walking away from him.

"That good?" Draco smirked and she stared at him in shock.

"I'm gonna-"

Without even finishing her sentence, she turned and basically ran from the room. Draco swept a hand through his hair and closed his eyes.

"Shit,"

XXXXXXXXX

"Hermione**!**"

"Oh my God, Ron," Hermione exclaimed, turning around to meet her boyfriend.

"Are you okay? You look red," Ron said worriedly, placing the back of his hand on her forehead.

"Oh no, I'm not. You know, I'm not actually feeling too good, I think I might just go lie down," Hermione blustered out, her hands nervously toying with her hair as she prayed for her body to stop tingling.

"Well that's okay, we have the day off. I was thinking of playing some football with Harry, but if you need me?" Ron asked, his eyes tinged with concern. A shot of guilt flew through Hermione's body, ad it felt like she'd been stabbed.

She placed her hand on Ron's cheek and smiled as reassuringly as she could at him.

"No, don't be silly, I'll be fine."

"Sure?"

"Of course,"

He gave her a chaste tender kiss, and Hermione really, desperately tried not to compare it. "See you later then,"

"See you later then," Hermione murmured after him.

XXXXXXXXX

Draco grumbled as the knocks on his door grew louder and more frequent. He jogged over to the door.

"If this is Parkinson, I swear to God,"

He pulled open the door and stared.

"Hello Granger,"

"Hi," she said. She was nervous. She kept twisting her hands together, a tic she had when she was nervous.

Without any kind of explanation she barged past him and into his room, stopping in the middle of the room.

"Of course, come on in," Draco murmured sarcastically as he shut the door.

"You're you," she began, her voice trembling a little.

"How very astute of you Granger," Draco retorted and she glared a little.

"Don't be a smart arse. You're you, and I'm me. And on every single universe, this teacher/student thing is wrong. And forbidden. And if anyone found out we would be in the biggest amount of shit. And there's Ron. Beautiful loyal Ron,"

Draco gritted his teeth at the mention of the Weasel, watching as she obviously fought with inner demons, her morals and beliefs of goodness and faithfulness almost dancing in the air in front of him, taunting him.

"Yes, I'm aware," he replied, leaning back against the door.

"Yet, I can't seem to find it in me to…care,"

She looked up at him and bit her lip and Draco was gone.

He twisted her around by her hips and slammed her into the door, pressing himself against her.

"Just this one more time?" He asked, aware of the lie even as he was saying it.

"Just this once," she confirmed, her eyes speaking out against the bullshit of the statement as she said it.

His lips hovered over hers for a moment before he whispered "And it is you are whatever a moon has always meant,"

She smiled against his lips for a moment before replying "And whatever a sun will always sing, is you,"

Then their lips crushed together as the two of them knew they would the minute Draco opened the door. And it felt like fire and as though the sun was burning too brightly and all the oxygen had disappeared from Earth. Her hands were everywhere, and she grazed the back of his neck in a way that made him tremble, and he dragged his teeth along her bottom lip in a way that made her tremble.

Her fingers fumbled against his clothing, their lips never breaking this beautiful rhythm they had started. Draco's felt a twinge in his chest as Hermione pulled away for a second, to undo the buttons on his shirt. He knew this was dangerous. Astoria had gone for the weekend. But it was so wrong. And he had no intention of stopping.

His shirt and her jumper, tumbled to the floor, forgotten.

XXXXXXXXX

**Helloooo! Just want to say thank you for the reviews last chapter, it did actually help to pull me out of the little depression funk I'd gotten into. Sorry for the angst at the beginning, but I hope I made up for it :D Unsure whether to do a sex scene or just let it end nice and subtlety? Lemme know what you think…. Also, just to quickly say, I got a completely awesome review from Lord Toewart- your review was so amazing and I just wanted to clarify a few things you wrote about, but you reviewed as a guest so I can't reply, but I just wanted to say thanks. And also a massive thanks to Annika the Merciful, your review may or may not have made me cry and to act-not-think because your review made me smile, which was a big deal at the time :D taa x**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello awesome people! Just to quickly let you know that this chapter is more of a filler chapter, the next one will be more action-y and will involve You Know Who. Also, this was written during the weeks building up to me getting me GCSE results, so if it seems a bit erratic, it's a reflection of how much I was pooing myself over my results. Can I also suggest watching Elena and Damon dancing from The Vampire Diaries, if you wanted to see how I imagined Draco and Hermione to be dancing. The fic is still un-beta'd, so any mistakes are entirely my own. Please leave a review, they make me so happy! ! !**

His lips were on hers, and she was pretty sure she was burning. Probably from the inside out. Maybe she was dying, she didn't know. What was more scary was that she didn't really care. He had manoeuvred them onto his bed with such ease that Hermione couldn't help but think of the amount of times he had probably done this before. His hands raked over her body, greedily as if she was something special, something worth his time.

He kissed down her neck, finding her pulse point and gently sucking and Hermione couldn't help the little whimper that passed through her lips. He stopped then, looming above her, his eyes full of amusement and was that smugness? An overwhelming rush of competiveness welled up inside of her and she pressed her hands down on her bare chest and leant forward, capturing his lips again with hers. She flipped them over so that she was straddling him, she grabbed his hands and locked their fingers together, stretching his arms out so that he was laid out, without any control, in front of her. She pulled away from him, and felt the hammering in her chest and the arousal between her legs, as well as his. She grinned, a little bit predatorily and gently copied his movements. Her brain was whirring with trying to remember what Draco had done to her that had made her moan and tried to repeat those same moves on his own neck. She was new at this, and a little bit scared. She so desperately wanted to be good.

But soon those kind of thoughts disappeared, and instead she just focused on the breathy sounds Draco made, the spots along his neck and shoulders that made him shudder and finally, finding a spot just above the top of his collarbone, she made him moan. She smiled against his skin and continued along her exploration, down, down, down.

XXXXXXXXX

Draco hadn't intended for it to get this far. He really hadn't. He can't say he wasn't surprised when she basically pounced on him. Not that it was something he would willingly stop, kissing her was an addiction like nothing he had experienced.

And then, just as she was reaching the part of his body, he needed her to reach- she stopped. And he knew that was as far as this was going to go.

So damn close," he grunted to himself as she pulled away from his body and sat on the edge of the bed, her head in her hands. He watched her for a moment, her back smooth and slightly tanned. This was wrong, and only now that she had stopped kissing him, was he able to realise it.

"Shit," he murmured and she turned round to look at him, her honey eyes were filled with panic and her face screamed of worry. He just stared right back, because really, what else could he do?

"Granger-"

"Don't. Just don't." She replied shortly, standing up from his bed and grabbing her jumper from the floor.

"You shouldn't of done that," he muttered after a few beats of silence and as she pulled the jumper over her head she whipped round and glared at him.

"Me? Oh so this is my fault," she replied a little hysterically and Draco rolled his eyes, he felt the usual little sliver of anger at her build up in his chest and he hated it. Because she couldn't help it, it wasn't her fault he found her so tempting. But he was in different circles, his father and the entire Malfoy's association with Voldemort and-

No. He stopped himself. He couldn't think about those things, those things were dangerous. But then so was this. This was so dangerous.

He knew what his family thought of her, the Golden Trio, as the paper's called them. The very fact that he was doing this was enough to get him killed and he knew that. And she didn't but he still felt like it was her fault.

She had to be on the side of the Light. She had to be. It wasn't as if Draco's life was as screwed up as it was, the one thing he so badly wanted, was just out of his reach. He was risking his reputation, his fucking life for her.

"You know what, yeah this is your fault. If you had just stayed away, kept your distance, like you knew you should of done we wouldn't even be in this mess-"

"You're as involved in this as I am Draco-"

"You think I want this?" He roared suddenly, his words so loud that she jumped a little bit. But like the Gryffindor Princess she was, she stood her ground. "I can't do this. I am your teacher. I am different sides-"

"Sides? What are you talking about sides?" She frowned, and he could practically see her brain working as she figured it out.

"Oh no, no, no, no. You can't be,"

He shouted out in anger. "Fuck!" what had he done.

"You're whole family I know, but the fact you're here. I thought that meant you were, you can't be on the side of the Dark, please, oh God…"

Her voice trailed off, and Draco stood by the window, watching the outside of Hogwarts, students lazily milling about in the last of the sun.

"No." She said suddenly, and he turned around at her declaration.

"No?"

"No." She repeated and he raised an eyebrow at her. "What are you talking about?"

"Your family may be on His side, but I know you. I see you. And I know you're not,"

"Believe what you want Granger, it's completely irrelevant to me-

"Bullshit." She cried. "I know you want me, I…" She faltered slightly, a blush on her cheeks and Draco eyed her steadily. " I see the way you look at me and I refuse to believe that you can know who I am, what I stand for, be on the side of the Dark and still look at me the way you do,"

"Shut up," he murmured running a hand through his hair.

"Draco-"

"Just shut up!"

"I know you're a good man, your last name and rumours don't change that-"

"Shut up Granger-"

"I know you're meant to think I'm inferior, I don't come from an acting background, I wasn't handpicked for this place, I know what your family calls people like me- "

"SHUT UP!" He shouted, turning round to face her, the anger so strong now, because she was right. "You think I enjoy this? Do you know what you're doing to me? You are everything I should hate, everything I should despise-"

"But you don't!"

"IT DOESN'T MATTER! By even looking at you I am betraying my family, my beliefs."

"Your beliefs are wrong-"

"Don't talk to me like that-"

"-and you know they're wrong,"

"You don't know shit about me Granger,"

"I know enough!" she shouted back at him, her eyes dilated and her cheeks even more flushed. Her hands were balled into fists and she was staring at him with a mix of anger and desperation.

"You should go," Draco murmured into the silence and Granger shook her head.

"We're not finished-"

"GO HERMIONE."

The door slammed shut.

XXXXXXXXX

It's been weeks since she'd seen him. She didn't realise she could miss someone that part of her, only a small part mind, really disliked. But you can and she does and it makes it all worse. Ron's as lovely as ever, planting soft kisses on her whenever he can and barely letting his touch linger from her for more than a minute.

Rehearsals are coming well, she thanks her abilities as an actress for letting her pretend to Professor Greengrass like everything's fine and she isn't secretly hating the woman for being intimate, intimate and so _perfect_ for Draco. There's a ball scene coming up, in the play Ron's character is meant to have achieved a promotion in his company and so a 'ball' is being thrown in his honour. Even though Ron's attending the ball with his wife, Pansy, Hermione still shows up at the dance and they share a moment of awkward but passionate staring and longing. Except, of course, Ron has to practise a fight scene with Blaise and so in Ronald's place is, as she knew it would be from the moment Ron announced he wouldn't be able to learn the steps, was Draco.

Hermione had been taught the steps with Greengrass a while back, so she knew what she was doing and was now mentally preparing herself for what was about to happen.

"So, you walk into the room, everyone gasps, the announcers ask the men to find a woman they didn't bring to the dance with them and pair off. Ronald, although in this case Draco picks you, and the dance begins." Greengrass instructed walking around the pair, "We'll skip the first part because we need to figure that out with all the other students as well, so we'll just go from the dancing. Ladies in a line,"

It was how the dance worked, it was incredibly old fashioned, kind of like the dancing you would see during the times of Pride and Prejudice. The women stood in one line with the men opposite them. Hermione stared down at the ground, she didn't need to look up to know that he was there, she could feel him. It was like his body was humming with an electricity that only she could feel, it danced around her, intoxicating her thoughts and lulling her into a state of total and utter _want_.

She quickly pulled her hair back from her face, with one loose curl dangling in front of her eyes. She vaguely heard Professor Greengrass instruct the music to start before a lulling guitar opened up the music. As the music peaked slightly, with other instruments being added, the two lines took a step forward, with men and women bowing to each other. Hermione continued to keep her eyes cast down on the floor in front of her. She knew her body, one look and she would be lost.

The opening line filtered through her hearing … _I've lost all my trust, though I've surely tried, to turn it around…. _

As the music played through the room, the two lines took a step forward, their right hands lifted as the partners circled each other. Hermione, without thinking, lifted her eye's to Draco's and like she knew it would, she was gone.

The music continued and her and Draco repeated the movement, except with their left hands, all the while their gaze unwavering from each other. She wondered if this was his own unique method of torture. Tell her she was unimportant and then look at her as though she was the only thing he would ever see again.

There was a gap between their hands, a small vacuum of empty space and Hermione could feel her hand twitching, she wanted to close the distance, to close her fingers over his own and draw him to her lips again, to burn her in the way he had done previously. But she restrained, settling instead for just feeling the sparks, from being so so close, but not touching.

… _All my agony fades away, when you hold me in your embrace… _

And then she stepped forward. Straight into his arms, and it was like she hadn't even realised that she felt empty, until his hand was her back and hers was one his shoulder. He slowly moved them across the floor, the background fading away until all she could see was him. He became her existence.

She didn't know who moved first, later on she would swear it was him, but they suddenly became a lot closer, their faces only inches apart. She needed to touch him, to kiss him, just for one moment, just so she didn't feel this need. Her hand curved slowly from his shoulder to the back of his neck because she needed to be closer, she couldn't bear it.

It was only when the music stopped and everyone began to stare, as the two of them gazed at each other, chests heaving and pupils so highly dilated, that he wrenched himself away from her. She watched him go, knowing that after this last dance, there was no way in Hell she could stay away.

XXXXXXXXX

"It's gotten worse. All over the country, they're just disappearing. All are involved in the acting business, some are just small time theatre actors, whereas some could be film critics. He doesn't care, as long as they 'stand in his way', he's gonna take them out."

Harry watched as Tonks paced the room nervously, accidentally brushing past a framed picture and making it wonky. He twisted his fingers together and tried to shut out the constant ache of panic that surrounded him. Panic and fear, and paranoia.

"We mustn't act rashly," Dumbledore's deep lulling voice pulled him out of his thoughts and he looked up to see the Headmaster watching him. "Tom is more powerful than any of us know, he's had plenty of time to wait and plan and hide, all he is after is Harry. All other destruction that he creates is just there for his own pleasure and entertainment. Acting out of fear will lead us nowhere,"

"So what'd we do? We can't just sit around, the Order is getting restless Albus, even Moody wants to be involved in the action,"

The Order was an elite group meant only for the most powerful and best actors in the world. Harry's parents had been in it before their death. Harry's godfather Sirius, was using his home as the Order's 'base'.

"He must be monitored," Dumbledore continued, "We need to send people over to France. It seems that Tom's managed to coerce some of their own actors into following his ways. Try to find Jean-Paul Beleeve, if we manage to keep him on the side of the light, others should follow. But for now young Harry, go and find your friends, remember to laugh and smile, you have been too deeply invested in all of this and it is highly likely that Miss Granger and Mr Weasley are missing you,"

Harry nodded and rose from his chair, making his way over to the door.

"Oh and Harry? Give Miss Granger a message from me, the truth is a beautiful and terrible thing. Hers must be protected at all costs if she is too succeed the way she wishes,"

Harry tried not to roll his eyes at his favourite teacher's mysterious words, but instead smiled gently at his riddled way of speaking and stored the information away to give to his best friend later on.

XXXXXXXXX

Draco just stared. There wasn't really a lot more that he could do. He could see her eyes brimming with tears and the sight made him shift uncomfortably.

"What are you doing here Granger?" The sight of her in his room was becoming far too familiar for his liking, and he could fall his tough walls crumbling a little just at the sight of her.

"How could you expect me to stay away?" She whispered, she crossed the room to stand in front of him and tentatively placed her hand on the side of his face. He flinched at her touch, but could not ignore the warmth of her palm against his cheek.

"Please Draco, I can't…"

He didn't know whether it was the tone of her voice, or the words she spoke, or the way her hair was piled on top of her head or how her honey eyes just seemed to melt him, or how she was asking him to give her this. In one fluid moment he was kissing her again, and it made no sense because they had argued and then ignored each other and then they had danced. And now they were kissing. But it was like that was what they did. They were opposites, so strong and so willing to fight each other that in the end, nothing would ever manage to keep them apart. Her kiss was more needy now, and he wrapped his arms around her waist, a move that gave away everything he had tried to hide.

He liked her. He wanted her. She was what his father would call a Mudblood, someone not worthy of an acting career, someone who lied and cheated so much that their blood became filthy. She was a Gryffindor. She had a boyfriend, who obviously adored her. She didn't care about his money or status the way other women did. She was clever. She was the most genuine person he had ever met. She was Hermione and he'd be damned if he was going to stop this.

XXXXXXXXX

Hermione untangled herself from Draco's arms and turned back to face him, her lips turning up in a soft grin at his sleeping face. She rose from the bed and jumped slightly as his finger locked around her wrists.

"Stay," he murmured, still drowsy with sleep, she could tell, there was no way he would of said it to her if he was fully aware of his surroundings. She leaned down and pressed a kiss against his cheek.

"I can't, I have to meet Ron for dinner," she murmured, frowning as his fingers tightened over her pulse point.

"And what are you going to say to Lover boy? Sorry I'm like, just been making out with our Final Performance teacher,"

"Don't do that Draco," Hermione said softly, pulling her arm out of his grasp. Don't ruin it,"

He sighed and said nothing, shutting his eyes closed again. A part of Hermione felt like it was breaking. Because it would always be this way. She had become a cheating whore and Draco would always be ashamed of her. Her fingers brushed slowly over his cheek one last time, as a wash of guilt and nausea rose up in her throat as she left his room.

She made her way down the staircase, smoothing down her hair and dodging round students. She found Ron waiting for her at the entrance to the Hall and forced a grin onto her face. She leaned up and pressed a kiss against his lips, murmuring softly in surprise as he deepened the kiss. When he pulled away, he kept his face close to hers but she saw his eyes flicker to the side momentarily. As he turned and walked out, she glanced back over her shoulder to see Blaise stood in the shadows by the staircase and she rolled her eyes at Ron's insecurity. But what she didn't see, what Ron had seen, was Draco, stood at the top of the stairs, frozen in place.


	9. Chapter 9

In and out. In and out. In and out. Hermione wondered when she had begun to find breathing difficult, her hands grasped tightly onto her two boys, and she stared straight into the dark, colourless eyes that were ignoring her completely, and fixed directly onto the raven haired boy beside her.

Images of Ron, moving across the dance floor and watching her with eyes that were dark with lust as they performed together, flew across her eyes. How his hair was so incredibly soft to touch, and it had become a habit to simply card her fingers through it. How he always made sure that he was holding her bag ready for her, because she found the mornings such a rush. How he was someone who she knew, would simply love her, even with her flaws and faults, forever. How she would have to break his heart, and how an agonised part of her thought maybe she was already breaking it, when she would pull away from their kisses the minute Draco called her name.

She thought of Harry, and his stubborn loyalty to her when everyone around her hated her for managing to win The Best Actress award that Hogwarts gave out every year when she was only thirteen. Of his fumbling awkwardness with Ginny, and the way his cheeks would flush a little pink whenever she smiled his way. How he had stood by her, when her parents had moved to Australia at the beginning of the year and left her behind. How he had held her when she had cried into his arms because she didn't want Ron to see.

And then she thought of her other friends, of Blaise's determined flirting but hidden protectiveness, of Luna's completely barmy but totally sincere happiness, of Neville's determination and strong courage that he would let no one hold him back from where he wanted to be, of Ginny's passionate dancing and refusal to ever give up on the dark haired boy she loved, of Parvati and Lavender's incessant gossip, but sudden empathy if she ever needed it. She thought of her friends.

Her mind finally flashed with thoughts of Draco, of how wonderful the last two weeks had been. Of stolen kisses and surprisingly calm words, of how his hands shaped her into her position on the stage and how his hair would brush across her ear when he kissed down her neck. She thought of that look that would fall across his face when she explained about the beauty of the sound of the rain, or how she wanted to see the world, because she simply fell in love with anything she didn't quite understand. A lot like how she felt about him. How he knew she had that pressure point, at the back of her neck, just into her hairline when if pressed would make her tremble. How he had seen the slight stretch marks across her stomach where her hips had finally grown in and kissed every single one. How he had laughed when she had gotten so angry at him she had thrown her shoe at him, and his smirk when he caught her jealous gaze that she would cast at Astoria.

And then she thought of how she might die here, her hands still clasped with Harry and Ron's, and never be able to experience any of that again.

XXXXXXXXX

Harry glanced over at Ron, he was staring determinedly ahead of him, his eyes narrowed and hard, no sign of any kind of fear, except the slight tinge to the top of his ears. Harry almost smiled at him then, at the little slimmer of complete bravery that his friend seemed to keep locked inside him, hidden until Harry truly needed him to be strong. His eyes travelled to Hermione, whose honey orbs were blank and empty, her mind far away and he could almost hear the wires and cogs in her brain wiring, spinning into life.

"I must say Potter, that this was truly one of the stupidest things you've ever done,"

Harry's eyes swivelled back to the front and he ignored that fire like sensation that burned through his veins and throbbed at his temple whenever he seemed to encounter anything like this happening.

"We were taking a walk Riddle, there is nothing stupid about that,"

"You three. The Golden Trio. Always ending up in places that you shouldn't be, always sticking your nose in where it doesn't belong," Riddle's face hardened and his eyes seemed to flash a deep red as he walked slowly towards Harry, pure hatred written into every wrinkle and pore in his face as he stared deep into Harry's eyes. "Always managing to slip away at the most crucial moments,"

Harry briefly remembered back to fourth year, when the TriActor Award's had been held at Hogwarts, being trapped outside with his fellow actor Cedric slowly dying in his arms as he had run desperately through twist and turn of the garden that had been created specifically for that event, trying to do anything to get away from Riddle and the motley crew he had accumulated.

"Such a shame that Dolohov stabbed the wrong boy," Tom said, his voice breaking into Harry's thoughts. He tried not to be alarmed at the fact that Tom had know exactly what he was thinking. "He's an alcoholic you see, vision's always a bit blurry for him. And it was terribly dark that night," Riddle sighed mournfully, managing to make even that gesture sound mocking. He turned and walked round the clearing in the Forbidden Forest, where the Trio liked to meet up, on days that Harry could get away from filming.

"Cedric died that night. It is nothing to be laughing at," Hermione said, her tone filled with such anger and such dislike that Harry squeezed her hand reassuringly. He also inwardly groaned, Hermione's courage and defiance, whilst brave, was also incredibly stupid.

"Do you know how easily I could kill you Mudblood?" Riddle hissed, swopping forward, his face directly above Hermione's, just as both Ron and Harry began to move protectively towards them, strong arms pinned around his neck dragging him away from his friend. Ron began shouting, struggling furiously as he was pulled away from his girlfriend. Harry watched in horror as though Hermione's body was shaking with fear, her hands clenched into fists, she still lifted her chin and Harry would of smiled when he saw her cock an eyebrow at the handsome, terrifying man in front of her.

"I am not a Mudblood,"

Before Harry could have blinked, Riddle had whipped out and sliced along Hermione's cheek, the small blade clenched tightly in his hand. Ron's shouting got so loud that even Harry had to admit that it was better when he was knocked out, not for Ron's wellbeing, but Hermione needed to be thinking clearly if she was to get out of this alive.

She stroked along her cheek, the red fluid smearing onto her finger which she then held out to Riddle. "My blood is red,"

"How did you get in, hmm?" Riddle asked almost hysterically as he circled the curly haired girl, his eyes taking on a dangerous hint that made Harry want to throw up. Hermione was in danger. Hermione could be killed. Hermione could die. And it would be his fault.

"Strip your knickers off for old Dumbo? Convince Hat that your family had a long history of acting? I know your sort. You lied, tricked your way into Hogwarts. They didn't want you, you had to apply. How are you keeping your place here? How? What sort of blackmail are you using?" Tom's voice had taken on a seductive tone as he trailed the knife down Hermione cheek, smirking slightly as she shuddered and stumbled a little at the metal's touch.

"I didn't lie, I got here on my acting ability-"

"BE QUIET. You think you can lie to Lord Voldemort? You think I won't know? You stupid, ugly, insolent little Mudblood/ Liar's are dirty people Mudblood. They're filthy, and that same filth runs through their veins. You lied to get into Hogwarts, you lied to get into my HOME."

He screamed into her face and Hermione closed her eyes against his voice, shuddering violently as she stood alone against him. Harry took shallow gasping breaths, trying to fight desperately against the forearm that was pinned against his neck to try and help his friend.

"Just because your mother had to lie her way in doesn't-"

By Hermione's words were cut off as Tom lunged for her, his hand tightening around her throat.

"She was not my mother. She was the Devil, the creator of 'your' kind. She probably taught you how to do it didn't she? You think you're good. You think you're on the side of the Light, the side fighting for peace, but let me tell you this- you are on the side of Satan, the side of the liars. And I will make sure you burn."

Harry bit and clawed against his oppressors arms and hands, watching as tears fell down Hermione's face and her cheeks flushed a deep breath. She was going to die if he didn't let her breathe soon.

"And do you know what else little Mudblood," Riddle leaned in close, grabbing the bag of Hermione's head and pulling it close to his face. "I know your secret."

XXXXXXXXX

Draco rolled his eyes as the dark haired girl strutted round the empty classroom. Her sleek black hair was gelled back from her face, and the white blouse tucked into her dark pencil shirt matched with her skin tone. But she didn't have curly hair, or light brown orbs, or olive skin, or that really annoying habit of arguing with him over everything single goddamn thing. The thought made Draco smile. So, despite the allure Pansy seemed to possess, she did nothing for him.

"So, it should be like she's fighting for him back. She wants him to renotice her?" Pansy asked, her eyes wide as she bit her lip, looking for her effort, the part of a schoolgirl who was very genuinely confused. But Draco wasn't biting.

"Yeah, pretty much. He's become infatuated with Leah, and she's falling apart with the realisation that he might love someone else,"

"Which is why the dance is a solo piece?"

"Yeah,"

"Oh, I see." Pansy smiled almost shyly and I tried hard not to frown at the look on her face. "You wanna help me with my movement?"

I cleared my throat. "Um, no I can't actually, I have to find Granger and Ron, they need to run a scene with me,"

Pansy scoffed as she walked over to one of the table, hooking her bag up onto her shoulder. "Good luck with that. Potter's back, I saw the three of them creeping into the Forest about half an hour ago. So you could help me? You have time," Pansy smiled coyly but I just stared at her.

"What did you say?" I whispered urgently.

"You have time?" Pansy repeated a little confused. I shook my head.

"You said they went to the Forest?"

"Yeah, they always hang out there. It's like some dorky little-"

I sprinted out of the Hall before Pansy had a chance to finish, I ran down corridors forcing students out of my way as I raced towards the Headmaster's office.

Because I knew exactly what was in the Forest right this moment, or rather who. I knew what Hermione had just walked into.

A trap.

XXXXXXXXX

"Mr Malfoy?"

"I know. I should of knocked, should of arranged an meeting, I know. But this is urgent. They're in trouble." My breath was coming out in pants and I leaned against the door, my hand splayed on the wall.

"Who is they?"

I twisted my head and watched as Severus Snape slowly stood from his eat, his black coat willowing around his leg.

"Potter, Weasley and Hermione," I shuddered slightly at her name, praying that I hadn't had such an outwardly obvious reaction to her name. "They're in the Forest, I heard whispers, rumours, I ignored them, about Vold-Tom Riddle, he could be in the Forest,"

I had barely finished the sentence when Dumbledore had swept past me, ordering students to fetch McGonagall as he half ran, half walked down the halls.

I watched as Snape followed him, his black eyes watching my carefully as he briskly walked through the door. I jogged to catch up with him, and the two of us followed in Dumbledore's footsteps, walking through the wet grass towards the Forest.

"It's a good job, you head these 'rumours'," Snape said quietly, his eyes focused directly in front. "Once this is all sorted, I believe a word in my office would do you some good,"

I ignored him, my heart constricting painfully as panic and fear ran through me, obliterating any rational thought.

Hermione, Hermione, Hermione. All I could think, over and over and over again.

"There," I heard Albus cry. I raced forward until I find my feet stuck to the ground and my eyes trained on the image in front of me. In almost slow motion, I watched as Weasley swayed, tripping slightly and collapsing on the floor and as Harry, still with Hermione in his arms, fell as well, his body motionless as they both hit the ground.

"HERMIONE," I roared, moving quicker than I ever thought possible. I dragged her from Harry's grasp as teachers swarmed around the group, and clutched her to me, my hands tangling in her hair, my thumb just managing to sweep across her cheek bone, ignoring the cut that drew straight across the flesh. Incapable of doing anything, I crooned to her, repeating meaningless words as what felt a lot like tears formed in my eyes.

"It's okay, I have you now, I've got you, you're safe. I'll protect you."

XXXXXXXXX

Two days earlier….

"_Urgh Draco/_"

"_You started this conversation,_"

"_Yes and now I am begging you to let me finish it._"

"_No._"

"_You haven't told me anything about your family, so why should I tell you anything about mine?_"

"_Because the likelihood of your parents being psychopaths is very slim._"

"_Both of them?_"

"_Not so much my mother, my father definitely._"

_Hermione sighed, a slight smile on her lips as she shut the door to her Head Girl bedroom and turned back to look at him. _

"_They wanted to travel,_"_ she said simply. _"_That is literally all there is to it, they wanted to travel and seeing as I'm basically at boarding school, they could use the time I was away to see the world,_"

"_You miss them?_ "

_She nodded, _"_Very much,_"

_Her eyes took on a nostalgic look that Draco didn't like the look of, so he wound his arms around her stomach and pulled her gently back against him. He began to murmur against her neck, her curls tickling his face as he sang. _

'_When your world trembles and quakes, and your footing, suddenly shifts and shakes,_

_Take my hand, we'll hide in the corner, hide in the corner, take my hand, we'll hide till it's over'_

_She twisted in his embrace and smiled at him, humming along to the tune of the song as the two of them began to sway, they continued that way, Hermione humming the music as Draco slowly shifted them around her living room. He grinned as he dipped her and she stretched her head back, letting her curls fly towards the ground. _

_She laughed, a beautiful harmonic sound, as he pulled her back up and their lips meeting in a kiss was almost planned before he had even thought about it. There was no way it wouldn't happen. Her sucked gently at her bottom lip, smirking slightly as she sighed and he whispered against her lips, his mouth stopping every now and then to kiss her. _

'_There is nothing left to lose, so hold onto me,'_

He sat in the wet grass, with Hermione's head in his lip, the shouts of teachers went unheard as he instead began to hum, hoping to comfort her with what little he could provide.

**So sorry about the long wait, A levels and school and drama and all that shizzle. Hope you like, next chapter's gonna be probably a romance fest so I tried to fit in as much angst/drama as I could beforehand. It is still un-beta'd, any mistakes are shamefully my own. Please leave a review, have a beautiful day. **


	10. Chapter 10

Draco spent the nights sat beside her hospital bed. It was slightly stalkerish, he was aware, but he didn't really care at that point. He just needed to check she was breathing, that her chest would rise and fall and that her heart was still pumping oxygen. The moonlight filtered through the slightly open windows, and the curtains rustled quietly in the night breeze. Somewhere out there he could hear an owl hooting softly, as if singing a lullaby. Her pressed the palm of his hands against his eyes and ignored the small yellow dancing spots that swam across his vision.

"Draco?"

His hands fell away from his face and his jaw opened slightly as he stared at the girl in her bed. She was shuffling slightly, her eyes still closed but a small frown on her face, wrinkles forming between her eyebrows. She whimpered slightly, a quiet sad noise, and Draco reached out with his right hand, and gently pushed away the lines on her forehead, his thumb following the delicate curve of her eyebrow as he tried to smooth away her nightmare.

"It's okay," he murmured to her, leaning forward from his chair, his left hand quickly finding her wrist and rubbing soothing circles against her pulse point, something he had found she found immensely therapeutic during some of their stolen moments together. He knew someone could walk in, any minute their perfect bubble of secrecy could be broken. But he just didn't care. A soft puff of breath passed his lips as he thought back on how scarily close she had been to dying a mere few days before. How he had known, that Voldemort would be there. He had known that he was holding a gathering, he hadn't known it was at a spot Potter, Weasley and Hermione frequently visited. If he had, he would of done whatever was necessary to keep her away from the Forest that day.

"Goddamn it," he said suddenly, his voice louder than he had intended, and he threw an anxious glance over to Poppy's office. He waited a few moments, but there was no indication she had heard him, so he paced angrily in front of Hermione's bed, his grey eyes finding her closed ones every few seconds. He had warned her, he had demanded of her to never go in there again. She was so stubborn. Too stubborn.

In one quick stride he was by her bedside again, his hand grasping her cheek as he rubbed his thumb along her cheek line.

"Damn you for doing this to me," he whispered softly to her. "You can't, you can't make me feel like this and then put yourself in that danger, how can I stand that?"

Her eyes fluttered softly and Draco watched her intently as her breathing quickened slightly when finally she blinked tiredly and then peered up at him, her eyes sleepy and her face slightly confused.

"Dra-aco?" She groaned out, shifting slightly on her bed and wincing as her right arm brushed against the mattress.

"It's fine. You're safe, twisted arm, and a nice gash on your lip, but apart from that, you're fine." He whispered quietly to her, his hand now absently twisting her bushy hair around his fingers, capturing a few curls and letting them go.

"Harry? Ron- they, they're sa-fe," she croaked and Draco rolled his eyes, his lips twitching into what he knew was a disgustingly tender smile. Her life was in danger, and her first thought was 'is everyone else safe?'

"They're just peachy Granger," he replied smirking and he frowned at him, lifting her left arm and giving him a pathetically weak push against his chest.

"Don't smirk at me," she muttered her eyes flickering shut. He grinned and took her hand off his chest, gently kissing her pulse point and placing her arm back on the bed. He shifted the covers up closer to her body and brushed his lips against her forehead.

"Sleep now Granger,"

"Protect me."

The silence rang out as Draco studied her now sleeping form, waiting a few moments to make sure she was truly unconscious, he leant over to her ear and whispered one word.

"Always."

XXXXXXXXXX

She growled angrily, her heart twisting in frustration as she tried to prop herself up with one arm but failed miserably.

"Nice try Granger," Draco smirked and Hermione's head shot up to see him stood at the foot of her bed, one eyebrow arched and an amused look on his face. She rolled her eyes, knowing she was in a bad mood but failing to give one, and went back to trying to sit up straighter. Draco sighed and was in an instant by her side, his arm slipped round her back as he hoisted her up. He tilted his head to the side, and Hermione frowned slightly until she realised what he was doing. They way he had positioned himself, blocked her from sight of anyone entering the Hospital Wing and just looked as though he was helping her lift herself up.

His lips found hers quickly, and she threw herself into the kiss, letting all of her frustration at having to stay bed-ridden flow from her lips to his. He calmly took everything she had to offer, accepting her fast moving lips and even laughing a little against her mouth.

"It's not funny, she said breathlessly when she finally pulled away, keeping her head close to his, her eyes trained on the bed below her.

"It's only a few more days Granger, just to make sure you're completely fine," Draco replied softly, tugging on one of her curls.

"I am completely fine," she protested, wincing as her arm jostled against the bed in her loud reply.

"Clearly," Draco deadpanned, sitting himself in the chair beside her bed and examining the roses on her bedside table.

"Roses?"

"I know," Hermione sighed, reaching out her good hand and carefully stroking one of the flower's heads. "Ron bought them,"

"But you don't like roses?"

Hermione looked up at him in surprise, her eyebrows lifted and her mouth in a small smile. Draco shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.

"What?" He asked.

"How did you know that?"

"You told me once, whilst explaining to me why Beauty and the Beast was the best Disney movie," Draco replied, cracking his fingers, and avoiding her eyes.

"But you weren't listening to me during that conversation? I distinctly remember you pushed me up against a wall and kissed me to shut me up," Hermione said, her cheeks blushing slightly at the memory of how Draco had groaned loudly and pushed her smack against the wall, the shooting pain in her back wiped away immediately by the feel of his lips kissing every bit of skin he could find, despite the fact they were in a public corridor and anyone could of seen them. How he had murmured against her skin in between kisses the word's shut up, in as many different languages as he could remember. He had told her that afterward, Hermione's brain wasn't exactly on top form when his lips where on her neck and collarbone and his fingers were digging in her hips.

"Granger, I always listen to you. You just have a tendency to talk too much," Draco replied leaning forward in his chair.

There was a moment of silence as Hermione beamed, actually beamed, at him. Her eyes shining and her hair falling over one shoulder in a messy plait as she leaned towards him too. Just as her face was close, very close, to his and his eyelids had shut, she laughed.

"Then maybe you should listen when I tell you, I'm fine," she chuckled and he groaned and flopped back in the chair, his head tilting back and exposing his neck.

"See woman, you talk too much,"

A polite coughing sound broke them out of their conversation and Hermione tilted her head up to catch the eyes of Pansy Parkinson, stood with a pile of paper clutched to her chest, and a fake smile plastered on her face. Her black her was glossily slicked back and her tight vest showed a little too much cleavage for Hermione's liking.

"Tori sent me," she said, smiling at Draco. "To run lines with 'Mione,"

Hermione's jaw clenched at the name and Draco glanced at her quickly, his eyes leaving hers as soon she looked back at him.

"Don't overwork her Parkinson, I want her to be in full health. She has a lot to catch up on," It was still a marvel to Hermione how his entire demeanour, attitude- whole personality towards her, could change at the flick of a switch. It was useful, it protected them that he was still able to act so cold and distant towards her. But, she couldn't stop the small twinge in her stomach when he glanced towards her as if she meant nothing to him. It was something she still hadn't gotten used to. She hoped her own performance was as good as his.

"Well, I'll come back with your work at lunchtime Granger," Draco threw over his shoulder as he walked away, and she almost missed the tiny wink he sent her as he spared a look back to her. Hermione dragged her eyes from his retreating figure to the girl in front of her bed, whose lips were in their ever present pout, and eyes had narrowed slightly.

"Well darling," she said nasally and Hermione clenched her jaw "Lets' get to work shall we?"

XXXXXXXXX

It took Hermione three days to get up and walking again, her arm was in a sling-though she seldom wore it; managing to hastily shove it over her neck and stick her arm through the pocket whenever Draco gave her that look- and the cut on her lip was still nice and visible, a purplish bruise beginning to shadow her cheekbone. But she walked and talked and acted like it hadn't happened. The story was she had fallen down the stairs, a common enough accident, one that no one questioned.

Draco watched the three of them at lunch, Ron fiddling with the fingers of Granger's right hand, weaving and twining their fingers, Harry sat stiffly at the desk his eyes ringed with bags and his hair too messy to look stylish. And Granger, with her bushy hair, and her smile and those eyes.

They looked the part. The Golden Trio, the three best friends. But Draco could see the cracks, it wasn't just because of Granger. It was because he was good at his job. He could see the tension that swarmed the three of them, the paranoid jumping, the almost fear to be out of each others sight.

"Mr Malfoy," the voice was low and drawling and Draco would of known it anywhere. He twisted in his seat to see Severus Snape sneering down at him, his eyes crossed and his black hair falling into the depths that were his eyes.

"You're wanted in the Headmaster's office,"

"Of course," Draco muttered under his breath, knowing that this was going to happen for a while. He had known where Voldemort was having his meetings, he had known they would be in trouble. Not only that, but his father was Lucius Malfoy, a well known member of the Dark- the 'gang' Voldemort had formed in his bid to take over the whole acting world. The Dark consisted of his followers, some actors, some directors , some writers- he had gathered as many different people who all had one thing in common. A lust for power and control, and that would come from trying to achieve Tom's greatest wish. The Phoenix Award. It was rarely handed out, and could only be won once every millennium. When it was awarded, it placed the Actor/Actress in a position of extreme authority. Anyone known to be in Voldemort's group, if he won the award would suddenly become elite members of society.

Then on the other hand, you had the Light- a name picked deliberately for its contrast- trying to boost Harry into winning The Phoenix Award, an act which would immediately stop Tom from receiving what it was he so desperately wanted.

Draco followed Severus through the Great Hall, smiling reassuringly to Astoria as she lifted an eyebrow and glanced quickly towards Snape, and determinedly keeping his eyes to the front and his face relaxed, despite feeling Granger's gaze burning into his skin.

The walk to Dumbledore's office was brisk and Draco hummed to himself during it, his appearance of confidence needed to be unquestionable.

"Mr Malfoy, have a seat," Dumbledore said calmly when Draco stood before him.

XXXXXXXXX

Severus Snape was not a fool. Many things could be said about him, and many things were- horrid, mean, cold, hateful, disgusting, greasy, Snivellus… evil. But despite this, he was not a fool. He'd been through life, every aspect of life, the good, the bad and the terrifyingly ugly and if it had given him one thing, just one thing, it was intelligence.

He understood people. He saw their brains and the way they would think and it would help him to dissect and understand whatever it was about them that had made them 'special' to him. Snape knew how to play people, he knew how to lie, he knew how to pretend, he knew how to keep the one thing he wanted safe. And that one thing was the only part of Lily, he had left. And if it meant risking his life to keeping Lily Evans' son safe as his debt to her, then he would do it willingly. Because he would love Lily infinitely. But all this deceit and lying meant that one thing he could do very well, was spot when someone was doing the same.

And there were clues, hints, like gut feelings that Draco Malfoy was doing the same. But that would mean first of all that Draco was either lying to Dumbledore, or lying to Voldemort, and either one was not an easy feat to undertake. But there was more to Malfoy than just being a 'double agent', because Snape saw the way he looked at Granger, and he knew without a doubt what was going on.

And it worried him. Not because he particularly cared for Granger or Malfoy, but if Granger was to be harmed, then the effect it would have on Harry could be catastrophic and Snape refused to allow that. So he stood in the corner of Dumbledore's office, his lip curling as he watched Malfoy complete a very intricate story, it must have no doubt taken him hours, about how he had come to know the Trio would be in the forest and why he is initial response to Miss Granger had been so intense when his reaction to the boy's injuries had been uncaring at most.

Draco Malfoy had become another thing Snape now felt he must keep an eye on. He knew what it was like to love someone. Knew how suffocating and dangerous it could be, but Malfoy wasn't just in love with a girl.

He was in love with a girl who was also considered by Voldemort a 'Mudblood.' Who was Harry Potter's best friend. Who was also a student, whilst he was her teacher. And he was in love with her.

Whether he knew it or not.

XXXXXXXXX

Draco had barely stepped into Hermione's Head Girl quarters when the actress had thrown herself at him, her arm hooking round his neck, whilst she held the other away from her body so it wasn't jostled in her hug. Her face was buried in the crook of his neck and he could feel her irregular breathing puffing out against his skin.

"Whoa Granger," he drawled, pulling back away from her, but his eyes held a tincture of worry as he scanned across her face.

"I thought maybe they had…" she huffed out breathlessly, her chest heaving and Draco frowned.

"Thought they had what? "

"Kicked you out. I thought we'd been found out,"

Draco laughed quietly, stepping further into her living room and dumping his bag on the floor, turning back to her and cupping her face, swooping down to capture her lips before she fully acknowledged the rare, tender gesture he had just bestowed to her. She sighed contently against his mouth, then pulled away pressing a short chaste kiss to the corner of his mouth. "That won't happen Granger, I promise." He murmured to her.

"So I was thinking you could show me your monologue now, the one you're performing when Mad-Eye is visiting." Draco said slumping down on the couch and turning his head to the right to see Granger's reaction. A small frown was on her face as she stood in the entrance to the kitchen and she nervously played with one of her curls, tucking and re-tucking it behind her ear.

"Tori says it's amazing, maybe I'll just ask her to re-enact it for me," Draco added casually, turning back to the front and mentally counting to three until Granger's face popped in front of him.

"Fine. But you have to promise not to laugh at me," she said, her eyes boring into his and Draco nodded solemnly, crossing his heart and then laughing when she thwacked him over the back of the head for taking the mick. She walked into the space in front of him, and turned to face him, twisting her hands together. He watched as she got in character, it was beautiful to see really. She straightened her shoulders, and took a deep breath and closed her eyes. And when she opened them, it was like she was a whole new person. Except this time, this time she didn't seem to different. Then she began to speak.

"And I want to play hide-and-seek and give you my clothes and tell you I like your shoes and sit on the steps while you take a bath and massage your neck and kiss your feet and hold your hand and go for a meal and not mind when you eat my food and meet you at Rudy's and talk about the day and type up your letters and carry your boxes and laugh at your paranoia and give you tapes you don't listen to and watch great films and watch terrible films and complain about the radio and take pictures of you when you're sleeping and get up to fetch you coffee and bagels and Danish and go to Florent and drink coffee at midnight and have you steal my cigarettes and never be able to find a match and tell you about the tv programme I saw the night before and take you to the eye hospital and not laugh at your jokes and want you in the morning but let you sleep for a while and kiss your back and stroke your skin and tell you how much I love your hair your eyes your lips your neck your arse your…

and sit on the steps smoking till your neighbour comes home and sit on the steps smoking till _you_ come home and worry when you're late and be amazed when you're early and give you sunflowers and go to your party and dance till I'm black and be sorry when I'm wrong and happy when you forgive me and look at your photos and wish I'd known you forever and hear your voice in my ear and feel your skin on my skin and get scared when you're angry and your eye has gone red and the other eye blue and your hair to the left and your face oriental and tell you you're gorgeous and hug you when you're anxious and hold you when you hurt and want you when I smell you and offend you when I touch you and whimper when I'm next to you and whimper when I'm not and smother you in the night and get cold when you take the blanket and hot when you don't and melt when you smile and dissolve when you laugh and not understand why you think I'm rejecting you when I'm not rejecting you and wonder how you could think I'd ever reject you and wonder who you are but accept you anyway and tell you about the tree angel enchanted forest boy who flew across the ocean because he loved you and write poems for you and wonder why you don't believe me and have a feeling so deep I can't find words for it…

and want to buy you a kitten I'd get jealous of because it would get more attention than me and keep you in bed when you have to go and cry like a baby when you finally do and wander the city thinking it's empty without you and want what you want and think I'm losing myself but know I'm safe with you and tell you the worst of me and try to give you the best of me because you don't deserve any less and answer your questions when I'd rather not and tell you the truth when I really don't want to and try to be honest because I know you prefer it and think it's all over but hang on in for just ten more minutes before you throw me out of your life and forget who I am and try to get closer to you because it's beautiful learning to know you and well worth the effort and speak German to you badly and Hebrew to you worse and make love with you at three in the morning and somehow somehow somehow communicate some of the overwhelming undying overpowering unconditional all-encompassing heart-enriching mind-expanding on-going never-ending love I have for you."

And really, that was all she needed to say. So Draco repeated her words, except this time with actions.

XXXXXXXX

**Hi. I'm sorry about the ridiculous length of time, my muse completely disappeared and bombarded me with other things instead but ta-dah. Hope you enjoy. I would have loved to have made Hermione's monologue up, but I didn't it's from **_**Sarah Kane-Craze **_**and I would really recommend reading it, it spoke to me on levels I didn't even knew I had. So thank you for reading, please leave a review. Smile. **


	11. Chapter 11

'How many bags should I pack?'

Draco rolled his eyes and flipped from his stomach onto his side to watch Granger move swiftly around her room, picking up books and scarves and more books and shoving them into different piles on her kitchen counter.

'One? It's for two days Granger,' he replied incredulously and she shot him a death glare over her shoulder.

'Yes I am aware how long a weekend is Draco, thank you. I meant should I take a bag for clothes and a bag for books or should I just put them all together?'

Draco stared at her for a moment. 'No, I'm sorry. Did you just say you wanted to take an entire bag for _books_?'

'You know for someone so sure of himself, you really should have your intelligence levels checked. Yes, I did just say that,'

Draco shot off the couch and sprang towards her, pinning her against the counter and smirking as she dropped the book she was holding in surprise. 'Draco, I'm supposed to be packing,'

'Granger, you've been trying to pack for over an hour. And you keep getting distracted,' he leant down and placed a lazy kiss against her lips. 'How am I interrupting so much more than that book of yours?'

'You know how,' she smiled shyly and glanced up at him, pushing away his bangs with the palm of her hand.

He trailed lazy open mouth kisses along her neck, her teeth catching her pulse point before she gasped and pushed him away, a reproachful but almost disappointed look in her eyes.

'No marking me, remember?'

'Right, the Weasel would become suspicious,' Draco let his sarcasm cover the initial pang he always felt when he remembered that she wasn't _his_. He was her thing on the side. Her dirty little secret. But then she was his, so he couldn't really complain.

Hermione glares and rolls her eyes at his nickname for Weasley and turns her back to him, still shoving books and sweaters in the open bag. 'Yes_ Ronald_ would.'

Draco walked up behind her and slipped his arms around her waist, pressing a light kiss against her jaw. The apology he still couldn't say to her whenever his 'crudeness' ran away with him and upset her.

'Leave this till after.' His hands ran down her arms, stilling her movements. 'We have rehearsals now. Let's go,'

XXXXXXXXX

Pansy delicately dragged the brush along her fingernails, the deep purple staining her nails with just the right amount of gloss and shine. With a small smirk she flicked her eyes up to look at the people sat in a circle, waiting for the lesson to commence. Tori was shuffling through the various drafts of coursework in her lap, her eyes fluttering to the door of the hall a small knot forming between her eyebrows as she frowned. As if on cue, Draco swaggered into the room, smiling softly at Tori as he went to take his place at the seat next to hers.

'Five…four…three…two…one,' Pansy murmured under her breath, and rolled her eyes as of on the count of 0, Granger entered the classroom. How predictable. This little routine of Granger's and Draco's was not amiss to Pansy, who arched a carefully plucked eyebrow at the bushy haired girl, who blushed at her gaze and quickly pecked the Weasel, practically falling into her chair.

'Feel free to turn up as late as you want to rehearsal Granger,' Draco drawled and Granger narrowed her eyes at him, unable to come up with one of her usual annoying, witty remarks. 'Anyway Granger, Zabini- it's your turn to shine' Draco continued, nodding his head at the stage behind him.

XXXXXXXXX

_Leah shifted through the mail, her phone pressed between her ear and shoulder as her friend Katy wittered on about some guy trouble she was having. She dumped the mail on the table and murmured a noncommittal noise, trying to shift her book from under the various papers. With one last tug letters and bank details fluttered to the floor and Leah squeezed her eyes shut in frustration. She shifted the phone from her left ear to her right and her hands stilled on a specific piece of paper that had fallen to the floor. She slowly stood, her nails denting the paper as her mobile fell to the floor, the battery flying across the floor. _

_/Three Hours Later/_

'_Leah?'_

'_Max.'_

'_What's wrong?'_

'_You've been called up. Which is strange, because I thought you'd promised to leave the army and never go back. I thought you'd promised to stay with me.'_

'_Leah…'_

'_Don't you dare. Don't you even dare, you promised me Max/'_

'_I can't live this life.'_

'_A life with me?'_

'_A life without the army,'_

'_You mean a life of safety.'_

'_Does it matter?'_

'_Considering you could die? Yeah, I'd say it does.'_

'_Do you hate me?'_

…

'_You know I couldn't.'_

'_You should.'_

'_It doesn't work that way.'_

'_I need to hear you say it. This, all of this, will become easier if I hear you say it.'_

'_Why the Hell would I do anything to make this easier for you?'_

'_I don't know.'_

…

'_I hate you.'_

'_I love you.'_

'Cut!'

Hermione blinked as Tori's words pulled her out of her acting trance and against the bright light of the stage, she glanced down at her teacher who was grinning up at them. 'Good job guys, come down so we can work on the script that we haven't run yet,'

Blaise raised his hand and Hermione slapped his with hers, smiling as he slotted his fingers between hers and squeezed tightly, using her hand to pull him to her side.

'I hardly see you anymore my beauty,' he drawled and she tilted her head up to look at him, his tone of voice one she just couldn't place.

'Work, Work, Work,' she replied back, keeping her voice light as her eyes sought out Ron who was watching the pair darkly. She tried to subtly tug her hand of Blaise's grasp but he held on strong, keeping her near him as he stopped walking, holding her back from joining the rest of the group.

'You mean, Ron, Ron, Ron,'

'Well him too,' she smiled nervously and Blaise's eyes flashed. 'Blaise, we've been through this…'

'No Hermione, we haven't.'

'Look, I can't do this with you here okay? You want to talk find some other time, cos now is not appropriate…'

A sharp tug on her arm sent Blaise stumbling back and Hermione rocked back on her heels at the force of which the two had been dragged away from each other. Her eyes found Draco's with ease, and she immediately bought her thumb up to her mouth, chewing nervously on the nail as Draco advanced on Blaise.

'Keep your distance,'

'Woah Prof, I was just having a word,'

'You need to be professional Blaise, if you are incapable of doing that I will personally kick you off this team, do I make myself clear?'

Draco's voice rang out loudly, his tone like a drill sergeant as he stared Blaise down. Hermione quickly prayed to God this wouldn't get out of hand, that Draco wouldn't let his emotions get in the way. Protective and possessive were two words that described Draco well, and Hermione knew enough to know that this side of his nature was dangerous for the two of them.

She walked quietly back to the group as Draco jerked his head over to the others and Blaise followed his cue. She settled into the chair next to Ron and felt as he slid his hand into hers, his thumb drawing calming patterns over her skin.

She wondered if it would be like this forever. Draco the passion and Ron the calm. Problem was, she didn't know which one she couldn't live without.

XXXXXXXXX

Pansy bit her lip, smiling softly as Draco stood with his back to the group, his body obviously tense. She turned to the blonde stood next to her in the doorway and smirked, raising her eyebrows.

'Tell me darling, does that look like nothing to you?'

She watched as Queenie took a deep breath before slowly shaking her head, Pansy murmured in approval. 'There's something going on. I intend to find out what exactly it is I'm up against and then, like with everything, abolish it completely.'

'You're heartless.'

'Thank you sweetie,' Pansy said softly, leaning forward her lips dangerously close to Queenie's.

'What are you doing?' Queenie hissed, trying to jerk her head backwards causing Pansy to reach out her hand and grasp the back of the blonde's head, practically holding her in place.

'Hush now darling, no need to be frightened.'

'I am not frightened of you. You can do nothing to me now,' Queenie whispered furiously, her breath puffing out against Pansy's cheek, who smirked and trailed a newly polished fingernail down over Queenie's bottom lip.

'We shall see darling, we shall see,'

XXXXXXXXX

'It's just one weekend.'

'You never go away for the weekend/'

'Well, I am now.'

'How are you getting home, no wait, why are you going home? Your parents won't be there.'

'It's too see my aunt. It's her birthday this week and we always go and see her. Just because my parents won't be there doesn't mean I can't be. And, Dumbledore arranged for my transport.'

'I'll miss you,'

Hermione paused and turned back to Ron, a slight pained smile on her lips. Ron was rarely affectionate, at least with his words, so it was always a nice surprise whenever he would say something even resembling romance. It didn't help with the guilt though, that burning disappointment in herself and the secret pain she was causing him.

The kiss she gave him quickly got heated and she pushed her palms against his chest, turning her head away when she felt his hands slip under her top.

'Hermione…' he groaned softly, kissing her neck and just beneath her earlobe causing her stomach to twist and her legs to feel slightly weak. She couldn't deny she was attracted to him. She had been for years, but it felt… wrong. Nice, but like something very very important was missing.

'I'm sorry, just not today okay?'

'Will there ever be a 'right day'?' He asked quietly, and it was was the first time when after she had rejected him, in that kind of area, he actually looked hurt by it. Most of the time, he accepted that she wasn't quite ready to move onto such an intimate area of their relationship, but this was at least the 20th time she had pulled herself away from him, and maybe her continuous rejection had finally, got to him. She swallowed dryly, she couldn't keep up this relationship if she was able to commit herself to the 'physical' aspect of things, but the thought of not being with Ron made her head dizzy and her stomach sick. So, she did the one thing she was now very capable of doing.

She lied.

'Ronald,' she murmured softly, tugging him down for another kiss. 'Of course I want to. You must know the way I… react to you,' She pulled away gently, looking deep into his eyes and conjuring up every part of her acting ability she had.

'It's just it really really really, wouldn't be practical to engage in… that, right now,'

He frowned at her, the cute oblivious expression on his face and she smiled, shuffling nervously. 'It's my, err, my time of the-

'Oh.' Ron exclaimed, colour blooming across his freckled skin, Hermione laughed quietly, her palm against his cheek.

'That makes sense,' he uttered, pulling her in for a gentle hug as she buried her face in the crook of his neck, able to practically feel his relief at her non-rejection of him. She was a bad, bad person.

XXXXXXXXX

Draco watched as she turned the corner, sufficiently out of view of Hogwarts before he grabbed her suitcase off her and pulled her in for a brief hug. He pulled away and the two of them continued walking down the dark path to where his car was parked with the others.

'You smell like him.' He stated it. It was a fact. It was nothing more or less. A fact.

'He is my boyfriend.'

They left it there. It wouldn't be good to start the weekend on an argument, and in all truthfulness Draco wanted this to be perfect. But even he couldn't help the little bubble of nerves in his chest, because if they lasted this weekend, just the two of them, then this 'thing' they had, well, he would finally have to acknowledge that maybe there was something here.

And maybe for the first time, he really didn't want to screw it up.


	12. Chapter 12

**Hello. So, urhm. It's been a while. I lost my self-confidence. And my inspiration and I promise to try harder because I love this fic so much and I refuse to give up on it. This is really short, kind of a filler, but the next chapter will be longer and better. I promise. If you're reading, thank you for sticking with me- means more than you can imagine. **

XXXXXXXXX

Draco didn't know why he was so compelled to be near her, but he was and in truth it was driving him insane.

Draco's need to touch her and be close to her constantly was kind of annoying. For him anyway, she didn't seem to mind too much. He'd never leant towards touch as a way to show his affection, but with her it was like it was the only way of expressing himself that he knew and understood. His fingers would constantly tangle in her hair or skim down her back or rub across her neck or even press gently against her lips as she slept. The cottage they were staying in belonged to his mother, and in typical Malfoy fashion it was incredibly luxurious. But in typical Narcissa fashion, it was also understated. It was tucked away among fields of various wheat and produce and only a couple of minutes walk from the sea. It was quiet, but not too quiet. It was a little bit perfect in all honesty. Like everyone seemed to do whenever they went on holiday, Granger totally relaxed, the bags under her eyes lifting and her posture always that little bit less tense. They spent long days in bed, Draco tracing out her neck with light kisses and brush of lips against her skin while she would read him her favourite parts from books. In a surprising way, Granger was pretty awful at cooking, managing to slice, burn and just generally harm herself making a simple meal, more than anyone he had ever known.

Draco pulled himself downstairs as the soft humming of Granger from the shower floated around his ears. He scoffed at the opened letter from Weasley on the table and the half started reply Granger was writing back. They only had one more day. Then they would return, and his hands would have to stay far away from her, the thick mess of her hair would be replaced by silken, almost white locks. Her soft curves that he would hold close to him during their walks would be replaced with sharp edges of a lithe body and the honey brown eyes he would sometimes seem to drown in would slowly turn to piercing blue. He would exchange her for Astoria, and she would exchange him for Weasley.

He clenched his jaw and his hands curled into fists the way they always did whenever he seemed to contemplate his situation too closely. It was totally against the rules, in every single way it could possible be against the rules. She was breaking promises to her friends, to her boyfriend, and he was betraying his father- for what? They hadn't even had sex yet. Sure, other things had been involved and he loved that it was him she was learning her experiences from but still.

He felt a warm, slightly damp weight against his back as her arms wound around his stomach, resting across his heart with a sort of possessiveness that made his trousers twitch. He shifted around, pushing her wet curls back from her face as he caught her lips between his.

'Draco,' she murmured between his kisses, arching up readily into him. He slid his hands down to rest at her hips, the pads of his fingertips curling into the soft material of his dressing gown.

'I was thinking in the shower,' she murmured as her breath caught and her fingers tugged at the hairs by his neck.

'Surprise, surprise,' he smirked against the soft skin beneath her ear, the low throb of want and need and arousal swirling around the pair of them.

'I want to have sex.'

Draco pulled away and arched an eyebrow at her, she looked down, unable to hold his gaze and a slight blush tainted her cheeks. Draco gently tilted her chin up towards him and she finally drew her eyes up to him.

'You do realise what you just said?' He asked and she huffed in annoyance, taking his hands away from her face and twisting their fingers together.

'Yes Draco,' she sighed and he blinked at her.

'Am I- I mean, would I-'

'You'd be my first,' she whispered and Draco's heart clenched.

'Can I ask why?' He muttered.

'May. Of course you _can_ but if-'

'May I ask why?' He repeated through gritted teeth and she grinned at the expression on his face.

'Because the thought of it being anyone but you is unbearable.'

He kissed her then, open mouthed and with everything he had, no longer feeling as though he needed to be conscious of his every move, his every thought. He moved to try and undo her dressing gown, but her hands stopped him. He pulled away and watched her silently.

'It tends to help if there are less clothes involved.' He whispered, leaning down and kissing against her neck, his hand pressing at the spot behind her ear, smirking into her skin as her knees buckled at the gesture.

'I'm not like- I mean, we have- I just, I don't want you… I'm not like Astoria.'

Draco stilled at her words. 'What are you talking about?'

'Don't say that like I'm being stupid.' Hermione retorted and Draco opened his mouth, rolling his eyes when her hand shot up to cover it. He pressed a kiss and her palm and nodded at her. She lowered her hand to his neck, rubbing circles against his muscles.

'I have faded stretch marks Draco. And a stomach. It's not noticeable when I'm dancing, but you'll be able to tell when we, you know, do this. I have these blemishes on my thighs from when I was a baby and my next door neighbour split hot water on me. I'm not this perfect, blonde, petite woman who can you pick up easily and who's going to be amazing at this-'

Draco had learned the best way to get her to shut up was by kissing her. So he did that. It was also because he could think of no words to say back to her. She was beautiful and sexy and gorgeous and everything she thought she wasn't and he had absolutely no idea how to tell her that. So he showed her instead.

XXXXXXXXX

Hermione let her head fall back as a groan escaped her lips. God, it hurt. It hurt and there was someone inside of her, and she didn't like it and she wanted it out nownownow.

But then Draco kissed her neck and her shoulders and her collarbone and it didn't make the sharp pain go away, but it sort of turned it into a dullness that she could manage a lot better. His thumb ghosted across that spot, softly and circular, the way he had figured out she liked and she jolted. Because that was such a different feeling. She noticed Draco's body shaking above her, and she pressed a kiss to his shoulder.

'It's okay Draco. I'm not going to break.'

And so he moved, and it felt strange. Slightly uncomfortable, but she got used to it, because his hand never left her and he continued to shower the rest of her body with affections so tender she wanted to cry, so she ignored her bodies scream and wrapped her legs around him, urging him in deeper and resisting the urge to wince at the new feeling it created.

When he finished inside of her, he immediately set about to make sure she was able to get release as well. His hands and tongue were everywhere, and it was all too much. So much sensation in places she had never felt before, and he wasn't relenting and God he was so beautiful like this. It felt like her body had been shattered, she tumbled into orgasm without any kind of warning and her body shook from the effort of it.

He held her afterwards, cleaning them both up and tucking them back in bed, despite only just having got up. His fingers tangled in her hair, now bushier than ever from the shower and the exercise and she yawned sleepily, a contented sound.

'Thank you.' She murmured against his skin.

'You are more than welcome Granger,' he replied drowsily.

'It was wonderful.'

They were both so caught up in each other, and the new discovery of this aspect of their relationship, that they missed The Daily Prophet flying through the letterbox and landed neatly on the table, the headline blaring out from it. It read simply;

Golden Boy Harry Potter And Best Friend, Ronald Weasley, Kidnapped.


End file.
